Jets star Thomas Morstead dedicates season to ‘inspiring’ Saints icon Steve Gleason with ‘Punt for ALS’ campaign

THE 2024 NFL season will have a deeper meaning for New York Jets punter Thomas Morstead than for most.

Entering his 16th NFL season, the 2012 All-Pro has announced that he will be dedicating the year to New Orleans Saints legend, Steve Gleason, via his Punt For ALS campaign.

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Gleason was a safety with the Saints from 2000 until 2006.

The now 47-year-old’s most memorable NFL play came during his final season when he blocked a punt against the Atlanta Falcons .

Their first game back at the Superdome following Hurricane Katrina, teammate Curtis Deloatch recovered the ball and opened the scoring for the Saints.

This moment has since been forever immortalized outside the stadium with a statue of Gleason’s block.

Gleason’s life changed forever in 2011 when he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) – also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

In response to his diagnosis, Gleason and his wife Michel Varisco Gleason went on to found the Team Gleason Foundation who offer support for others living with ALS.

MORSTEAD’S MISSION

Now, longtime Saints punter Morstead is looking to do his bit for Team Gleason, as well as his dear friend Steve.

In an interview with The U.S. Sun, Morstead explained that throughout the 2024 season, he will be campaigning “to raise awareness for Team Gleason.”

Morstead will donate $1,000 for every punt he lands within the 20 this season.

He has also pledged a minimum donation of $10,000 to the foundation.

“The biggest thing is just to raise awareness for everything that Team Gleason does,” Morstead explained.

“This kind of stems from just really wanting to say thank you to Steve for what he’s meant to me personally, and his continued courageous fight against ALS.”

Morstead explained how Gleason has “meant a lot to a lot of people” – including himself.

Released by the Saints in 2021, Morstead had brief stints with the Jets , Falcons, and the Miami Dolphins , before landing back in New York for good in 2023.

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Gleason has meant a great deal to Morstead “over the past three years of kind of reestablishing myself after getting hurt my last season in New Orleans and getting released and trying to find my footing again.

“He’s just provided a lot of inspiration and perspective and I just wanted to do something that was meaningful to say thank you to him and to encourage him as well,” Morstead added.

“His days are harder than most and I think I was thinking, ‘Who’s inspiring the inspirer, who’s encouraging the encourager?’

“So just thought it would be really cool to do something for him and to let him know that him choosing to continue to live and continue to live a very difficult, challenging life, means something to me personally.”

LEAGUE-WIDE COLLABORATION

Morstead will also be teaming up with opponents every week around the NFL throughout the season to help raise funds.

Jerseys donated to the campaign will be signed and available to win by anyone who donated online that week.

What’s more, Morstead added that “anybody who donates at all throughout the season will have a chance to win my Super Bowl tickets.”

PLAYOFF PURSUIT

The 2024 season represents not only a meaningful season for Morstead but also one with a remarkable opportunity for a full-circle moment.

The Jets enter the year with sky-high expectations with the likes of Aaron Rodgers , Garrett Wilson, and Sauce Gardner among their star-studded ranks.

And with Super Bowl LIX scheduled to be played in New Orleans, it could mark the perfect end to not only their season but also Morstead’s campaign.

“The idea of being able to have the campaign and the Super Bowl with us playing in it would be pretty cool,” he admitted.

“The fact that the Super Bowl is in New Orleans will have an awesome opportunity to highlight everything that Team Gleason has done and continues to do [during] the week of the Super Bowl.

“So, yeah, I’m manifesting that as best as possible.”

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