The American Heart Association's Nation of Lifesavers Mobile CPR Unit will provide free Hands-Only CPR instruction to attendees at the NFL's Super Bowl Experience at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco from February 3-7. This collaboration marks the sixth appearance of the mobile unit at a major NFL event, following previous appearances at Super Bowls and NFL Drafts, with future plans to appear at the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh.
According to American Heart Association data, 9 out of 10 people who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital die, often because they don't receive immediate CPR more than half the time. With nearly 3 out of 4 cardiac arrests occurring in homes, knowing how to perform CPR is essential for improving survival odds. The Association's scientific guidelines indicate compression-only CPR, known as Hands-Only CPR, can be equally effective as traditional CPR in the first few minutes of emergency response.
"When more people know CPR, more lives can be saved," said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association. "Teaching fans CPR during the Super Bowl Experience transforms one of the world's biggest sporting events into a powerful opportunity for public health impact." The walk-up style instruction will teach participants the correct rate and depth of CPR compressions needed to join the Association's Nation of Lifesavers movement, which aims to double survival rates by 2030.
The partnership extends beyond the Super Bowl event through year-round activations. Since January 2023, the American Heart Association has worked with more than half of NFL teams to educate players, staff, youth coaches, and fan families on Hands-Only CPR and Heartsaver CPR AED training. Teams including the Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, and San Francisco 49ers have hosted these community trainings.
To further inspire CPR education, the Association and NFL will celebrate five students who won Super Bowl LX tickets through the Association's in-school programs, Kids Heart Challenge and American Heart Challenge. These students learned Hands-Only CPR through the program, making their schools eligible for a $10,000 physical education makeover. Both students and schools can now enter to win tickets to Super Bowl LXI in Los Angeles in 2027 through the American Heart Association's website.
NFL players from all 32 teams serve as 2025 Nation of Lifesaver Player Ambassadors, encouraging family, friends, and fans to learn CPR. The ambassador class includes players like Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills, Kenny Pickett of the Las Vegas Raiders, and George Karlaftis of the Kansas City Chiefs. "Knowing you are most likely to perform the lifesaving skill of CPR on someone you know and love, being ready to act in a cardiac emergency is a critical skill you want to have when seconds can make a difference," Brown emphasized.
The American Heart Association, the worldwide leader in resuscitation science, education and training, publishes the official scientific guidelines for CPR available at their guidelines page. Research shows CPR performed immediately can double or triple a person's chance of survival, making widespread education crucial for public health.
