Buffalo Bills Legend Donates Special Gift to Jaguars DE Josh Hines-Allen’s Charity

September 3, 2025 – Jacksonville, FL
NFL legend and Buffalo Bills icon Bruce Smith has announced a monumental $500 million donation to the charitable foundation of Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen. The gift celebrates the victory of Hines-Allen’s 7-year-old son, Wesley, over acute myeloid leukemia, while also honoring Norfolk, Virginia — the city where Smith was born, raised, and began the football journey that led to his NFL record.

Wesley was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in early 2025. After seven months of treatment, he rang the victory bell at a Jacksonville hospital, marking his remission.

“Our whole family rang the bell together. Wesley beat cancer, and we want to turn that victory into hope for other families,” Hines-Allen shared on X, alongside a photo of his family embracing at the hospital.

Smith, the NFL’s all-time leader with 200 career sacks and a 2009 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, stunned the football world with his donation. The foundation supports pediatric cancer research and provides aid to families with critically ill children.

“I was born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia, a place that shaped me as a man and as a player,” Smith said. “This special gift is to celebrate the strength of young Wesley and to lift up the other children in Josh’s program. They are as resilient as the spirit of the Bills — always fighting in the hardest moments.”

The donation will fund the creation of the Wesley Hines-Allen Pediatric Cancer Center in Norfolk, Virginia, in partnership with local medical institutions. The center will focus on pediatric cancer research and treatment while supporting families across the Tidewater region and nationwide.

Norfolk, Smith’s hometown, is a Tidewater port city known for its strong sports tradition and tight-knit community. Smith grew up there, starred at Booker T. Washington High School, and later became a dominant force at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. Across 15 seasons with the Bills (1985–1999), he amassed 200 sacks, earned 13 Pro Bowl selections, and helped lead Buffalo to four consecutive Super Bowls.

“Norfolk is where my NFL dream began,” Smith said. “I want to give back to this community by supporting Josh Hines-Allen’s mission, bringing hope to children and families fighting cancer, just as Wesley did.”

“Bruce Smith is an icon of the NFL and of Virginia. His gift will change the lives of thousands of children and inspire us all,” Hines-Allen wrote on X.

The foundation will use the donation to expand financial assistance programs, provide advanced medical equipment, and fund research at facilities such as Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville and centers throughout Virginia.

Smith’s $500 million donation ranks among the largest philanthropic gestures in NFL history, following the example of legends like Jason Gildon and Tyrod Taylor. The communities of Norfolk and Virginia Tech are planning a tribute event in fall 2025 to honor Smith, Wesley, and Hines-Allen. The celebration will include a charity exhibition game at Virginia Tech to raise additional funds for the foundation.

The bond between Smith and Hines-Allen — two elite defensive ends from Virginia, one from Norfolk and the other from Cumberland County — highlights the unity and service that define NFL athletes.

“This is how we turn personal victories into shared hope,” Smith concluded.