Behind the Design of Travis Etienne's My Cause My Cleats

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The Jacksonville Jaguar’s running back teamed up with the Call of Duty Endowment program to tell Ashton Kroner’s story and that of veterans nationwide.

For the last eight seasons, the NFL’s My Cause My Cleat program has given players a platform and opportunity to express themselves and bring awareness to key issues they’re passionate about with dedicated games through customized footwear.

Players will have the opportunity to raise money for their cause by auctioning their cleats off at NFL Auction; 100% of money raised will be donated to the player’s charities.

This season, Jacksonville Jaguar’s Travis Etienne worked alongside customizer Deacon Stanfield and the Call of Duty Endowment program to tell the story of former Marine Corps veteran Ashton Kroner while also giving back to veterans.

Call of Duty Endowment was created to give back meaningfully to the real-life heroes who inspire the game by helping place veterans into high-quality jobs. Over the last few years, Call of Duty Endowment has placed more than 125,000 veterans into jobs as they transition back into society.

During the Jaguars vs. Cincinnati Bengals game on Monday Night Football on December 4, Etienne and Call of Duty Endowment are highlighting Jags fan Ashton Kroner, a current Veteran Outreach Director who served as a Lioness, a female soldier who accompanied male troops on patrols and house-to-house searches.

Although Kroner suffers from PTSD, she credits programs such as Call of Duty Endowment as beneficial for veterans to get established and find meaningful jobs and careers when they come back from serving their country.

“The Marine Corps was a great opportunity for me, and I’m forever grateful for it,” Kroner said. “I’m still figuring out what I want to do with my career as I’ve been focused on behavioral and mental health now. I’m always looking to make a bigger impact since I’ve been a big advocate in a lot of different realms within the military and civilian sector,” she added.

From touring in Iraq to Afghanistan and recruiting future Marines, Kroner has served and is now being celebrated for her efforts. But for her, the My Cause My Cleats with Call of Duty Endowment is part of a bigger plan to bring awareness to programs for veterans, such as Call of Duty Endowment.

“One of the things that a lot of people don’t realize, especially veterans, is that there are a lot of resources out there that go under utilized,” she said. “Bringing awareness to a campaign like this is huge because it’s going to put a spotlight, and hopefully other veterans can find out about this and utilize the services.”

As for Stanfield, the opportunity to tell Kroner’s story in a marquee game is significant and one that hits close to home.

“It’s a very special thing when you get to honor those who have fought and served for our country,” Stanfield said. “My grandfather served in the armed forces, so it was a true honor to be thought of as the right person to make this project come to life.”

“When making any shoe, I try to make the story that is trying to be told come to life, and on these cleats I think we did a really good job of that,” he added.

For Jaguars’ Etienne, being able to tell Kroner’s story is a testament to how sports and video games can bring people together.

“The game of football has brought us together; the Call of Duty Endowment has brought us together,” Etienne said.

Additionally, he hopes that the Monday Night Football game served as a light for Kroner’s dedication to service beyond the battlefield and puts a larger spotlight on Call of Duty Endowment.

“I hope a lot of people who tune in go do the due diligence about what the Call of Duty Endowment is all about, and hopefully bring a lot of awareness to it.”