Each year, the NFL’s My Cause My Cleats initiative gives players the opportunity to spotlight causes they genuinely care about by wearing custom-designed cleats on game day. For Christian Gonzalez, this platform became an opportunity to advocate for mental health in a way that extended far beyond the field.
Christian chose to represent Happiness Project during My Cause My Cleats, aligning our mission of mental wellness, self-growth, and emotional resilience with his personal advocacy alongside the KyleCares Foundation. His cleats featured meaningful symbols honoring his late friend Keith Miller III, while amplifying a message that mental health deserves visibility, care, and conversation.
To expand the impact even further, the collaboration came to life off the field as well — including a custom-wrapped Toyota vehicle featuring Happiness Project and KyleCares branding. The wrapped vehicle served as a moving reminder that mental health awareness doesn’t stop at game day. It lives in our communities, our conversations, and the spaces we move through every day.
Together, the cleats, the vehicle, and Christian’s voice created a unified message:
it’s okay to talk about mental health — and it’s powerful to lead with it.
