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Shaun O'Hara's Foundation Sponsors Charity All-Star Game

story June 10, 2024
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Paul Franklin
| Specially for MyCentralJersey.com

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In college, he was a walk-on and eventually was named All-Conference. In the NFL, he went undrafted as a football player and was eventually named All-Pro.

What he never had to prove was his willingness to share with those less fortunate. That will be on display June 12 when the Shaun O'Hara Foundation sponsors a high school all-star football game in Hillsborough. The game features players from Somerset and Hunterdon counties and benefits individuals and families affected by cystic fibrosis. The location is only fitting, as O'Hara graduated from Hillsborough High School. His college success came at Rutgers, where he played center and was named to the First-Team All-Big East Conference in 1999. He is also a member of the Rutgers Athletics Hall of Fame.

More: Football: Namesake of the O'Hara Senior Bowl speaks to seniors at first media day

After graduating, he signed as an undrafted free agent with the Cleveland Browns and a few years later with the Giants. In 2007, he was quarterback when Eli Manning led them to a Super Bowl victory. Two years later, O'Hara was a starter in the 2009 Pro Bowl. His football career ended in 2011.

His contributions to others came long before.

“I have to give credit to my parents for teaching me as a child and young man that it was important to help others. I grew up in a Christian household,” said O'Hara, who turns 47 this month. “As an athlete, I looked up to athletes as a kid and all I wanted to do was be a professional player. It was either that or WWF. Thank God football worked out because I don't think anyone needs to see me in spandex.”

“When I was in middle school, Walter Payton was one of my favorite players. His nickname was Sweetness. As violent and vicious as he was as a running back on Sundays, he was Sweetness because of who he was. “I always had a heart for kids and any time during my NFL career when I had the chance to go to a hospital and visit kids or go to a school when kids were involved, I could never say no.” With the Giants, he served on their leadership council and was the team's co-captain in 2007. He was also the players' union representative and was very outspoken about the role of their leadership. He was named the Giants Man of the Year for his community involvement as well as the United Way's Hometown Hero in 2005 and has also worked with a number of organizations to support the communities in his native Franklin Lakes.

In April 2009, he and his wife Amy founded the Shaun O'Hara Foundation, whose goal is to increase knowledge and advance education about life-threatening diseases for which only limited financial resources are available.

“I always felt like I was incredibly privileged to make it to the NFL,” he said. “But I've always been involved in charity work. I was drawn to the idea that it's important to give back, to help others. But I needed that platform to help people who needed help.” His involvement with cystic fibrosis began with the Giants. Bill Squires, who worked for the Giants at the time, would sometimes bring his 8-year-old son, Sean, onto the field during practice. Their shared names created an instant connection, but at the time, O'Hara had no idea he had CF.

Squires reached out to O'Hara and told him they were looking for a new Ambassador of Hope for the New Jersey chapter. O'Hara read up on the disease and realized he could definitely support it. A year later, he and his wife founded the Shaun O'Hara Foundation, and cystic fibrosis became their mission. “In fact, cystic fibrosis is the No. 1 genetic cause of death in our country,” O'Hara said. “And yet there is no funding whatsoever. No donations from the government, no federal grants for scientific research. All the money it gets comes from private donors or private foundations like mine.” The foundation donates money throughout the year, including an annual golf tournament (the 15th after last month's outing). Ninety cents of every dollar goes toward research for a cure.

“I needed that platform to help people who needed help,” he said of his time in the NFL. “I told my wife that I feel like I do a lot of different things for other foundations, but there's nothing that I'm personally committed to that can leave a lasting impression.”

O'Hara, who recently celebrated his 15th wedding anniversary, met her in 2004 when she was a nurse and he was a patient at New York's Hospital for Special Surgery. He spent five nights there in 2004 while being treated for a staph infection, missing two games during that time.

“I told her I wasn't leaving here until I got her phone number,” he said, laughing. “We've been together ever since.” And now together with their three children: Jack, 11, Caselle, 8, and Courtlyn, 5.

Wednesday's game (kickoff at 6 p.m.) was led by Jim Ruh, director of O'Hara's Foundation, with help from Hillsborough coach Kevin Carty, Watchung Hills coach Rich Seubert and Montgomery High coach Zoran Milich.

Team Rocky, named after the late Hillsborough wrestling coach and athletic director Rocky Forte, will face Team Otto, named after the late former Hillsborough football coach Otto Gsell, who was O'Hara's coach for several years.

His weight now is about the same as when he played for the Raiders, and he has lost about 75 pounds since his time in the NFL.

He will continue to be part of the Giants broadcast team, doing postgame shows (MSG channel) as well as weekday duties for digital content, online and across all social media platforms. He also does The Eli Manning Show on YouTube. “We interview guests, make fun of each other and do silly things,” O'Hara said. “I hardly call it work.” The serious work is left to the Shaun O'Hara Foundation.

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