Zaire Franklin has gained a reputation for his relentless pursuit and determination on the gridiron. The All-Pro linebacker is a dominant defensive anchor who has consistently ranked among the top NFL tacklers. But off the field, the most profound work for Franklin, a 2025 EBONY Power 100 Leaders in Sports awardee, is fueled by an enduring promise.
After tragically losing both his mother and grandmother as a teen, Franklin turned an immense personal tragedy into a lifeline for others by launching Shelice’s Angels. Named in honor of his late mother, the foundation acts as a fierce protector for young women raised in single-parent households, equipping them with mentorship, scholarships and the tools to thrive, something he knows about personally.
“My mom was a sophomore in college when she had me. She had to drop out when she got pregnant with me, while she was working double shifts and going to night school to try to finish her degree,” Franklin shared with EBONY. “I watched my mother work two shifts as well as go back to school to get her degree in criminal justice. Her example taught me that anything is possible.” For his excellence on the field and philanthropy off the field, he was nominated for the Walter Payton Award, the NFL’s highest honor.
Speaking on his nomination in 2023, Franklin stated in an NFL Inspire Change video feature: “As professional athletes, I think it’s easy for us to host a football camp, it’s easy for us to go into the sports teams and motivate them and inspire them, because just our presence is an inspiration to those guys [but] sometimes the young women are the group that’s the most overlooked.”
EBONY caught up with the NFL star to discuss the passion behind his philanthropy, how his mother’s love has inspired him as a dad, and what he hopes his legacy will be.
EBONY: You are busy as ever, on and off the field. What inspired you to establish Shelice’s Angel?
Zaire Franklin: Shelice’s Angels was founded in 2019 and is named after my late mother, who passed away when I was 16 years old. The goal is to inspire, unite and ignite the passion and interest of young women by giving them experiences both in and out of the classroom. We’ve taken a group of young women to Google headquarters: they’ve met Black executives, they’ve met with the front office of Sixers and Meta. And we teach financial literacy.
Last weekend, Shelice’s Angels sponsored some amazing events in Philadelphia, and it was beautiful to see. How excited are you to connect with everyone?
It was incredible. We kicked off our first women’s brunch with Carlie Irsay-Gordon, the owner and chairwoman of the Colts, as our keynote speaker. She’s one of the few female NFL owners. She’s a special woman and a trendsetter. She’s been being groomed for that position for years. On Sunday, we had our girls’ flag jamboree, with around 200 girls there from Philly, New Jersey, and New York.
With Father’s Day just around the corner, how did your mother’s example influence your journey into fatherhood?
If you put your mind to it, you can make it happen. She taught me how to take everything seriously and the value of showing up every day. So I feel like her work ethic and watching her go through that set the table for my whole life. I try to model those values as a father.
As a father to a daughter and a son, is your approach to parenting different for each child?
Boys are different. You can pick them up and throw them around. You also want to teach them what it means to be a Black man in today’s world. But the girls, they just got your heart [Laughs]. You want to show them how a man’s supposed to treat a lady. When it comes to both of them, the relationships you have with your wife or significant other and your family, and how you carry yourself, say a lot about how you are viewed as a dad.
Would you say being raised by your mother, who taught you so many values, helped you develop your superpowers?
I recently told someone that my idea of work ethic comes from my mother. Watching her chase her goals really instilled in me that how you do anything is how you do everything. It was something that she was really passionate about with me. She told me that I couldn’t be a great football player and not be a great student. I couldn’t be a great teammate without being a great brother, son, you know, or husband. So all those things tie in together, and that’s where my multiple interests come into, because I just never really let one thing define me. I just always try to chase every area of my life with the same passion and energy that I give on the football field.
What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned since becoming a father?
I’ll say the biggest lesson I’ve learned is to be present. As a father, you can get caught up in trying to provide, teach and lead them. Sometimes, your kid just wants to hang out with dad, regardless of what you’ve got going on in your life or your day. You still have to go outside to play catch or race them down the hallway because we can’t get those moments back. So, I guess the biggest thing I’ve learned is just to be present and make moments better.
You began your career with the Indianapolis Colts. Now you’re a Green Bay Packer. How has the transition been?
It’s been dope. When you pull up to a team like Green Bay, you’re immediately hit with that tradition and that pedigree. Everything about this organization is about getting a Super Bowl, and that’s a little different when you’re coming from different places. That’s inspiring. The boys on the team have embraced me with open arms. From the head coach to the management, everybody’s been pretty welcoming and helpful with my transition. So it’s been a blessing. I’m working to acclimate and keep earning it every day.
Women’s sports are at an all-time high from the scholastic level to the professional ranks. When did you know that flag football would become one of your passions?
With the flag football movement that’s been going on, and the growth of women’s sports, it was just such a natural synergy for our organization to tap into once the NFL appointed me as one of the flag football ambassadors. It was just something I could do to help grow the game of flag, and now we have a really cool jamboree every year. So it’s just fun to see it grow and build over the years.
Lastly, what do you want your legacy to be?
I want it to be said that I was a God-fearing man, a great husband — shout out to my wife, for sure — and a great father. I want to leave every place better than I found it, like here in Philly, where I’m born, raised, and loved through and through. That I gave back to the city and that no matter how far I went, I always made sure Philly felt that love. Even in my time in Indianapolis, now in Green Bay, my hometown of Philly, and wherever else life takes me, I just always try to help impact the community in a positive way.