Eagles, Sixers, Meek Mill host an event for families negatively affected by the criminal justice system

With children cheering loudly, Eagles general manager Howie Roseman cocked back a football and pointed deep with his index finger from inside the NovaCare Complex’s indoor practice facility.

His intended receiver, renowned Philadelphia-based rap artist Meek Mill, had already gotten a good step ahead of acting defensive back Michael Rubin, the owner of sports retailer Fanatics. Roseman lofted a ball that traveled nearly 30 yards and fell gently into Mill’s waiting, outstretched arms. Several feet away, cornerback Darius Slay raised both of his hands as if he were signaling a touchdown. Moments later, the children mobbed Slay and other Eagles players — it was then their turn to run routes and participate in an assortment of football drills.

On Tuesday evening, the Eagles — in a collaborative effort with the 76ers, Fanatics, and REFORM Alliance — hosted a group of about 30 local children who have been negatively impacted by the criminal justice system, including those who have a parent in prison for technical probation violations.

The unique event allowed the children to experience a “day in the life” of an NFL player, with the Eagles holding a junior combine, a tour of the team’s headquarters, a commemorative one-day contract signing inside the draft room, and an opportunity to interact with Mill, Rubin, and several Eagles, including coach Nick Sirianni, quarterback Jalen Hurts, tight end Dallas Goedert, right tackle Jordan Mailata, cornerbacks Darius Slay and Avonte Maddox, and Roseman.

“The purpose of the entire event is to help create change,” Mill said during a sit-down with The Inquirer. “I felt the energy in the room.”

Mill was sentenced to two to four years in prison for parole violations relating to a 2008 arrest. The perceived harshness of that sentence turned him into a symbol of justice reform, sparking an international “Free Meek” movement with Rubin serving as one of his largest advocates. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court granted Mill “extraordinary relief” and released him on bail in 2018.

Seated from the middle row inside a black Suburban, Mill paused momentarily. Then he tapped his chest lightly — the pendants from his diamond chains clinking — and he pointed toward the roof of the vehicle before detailing the significance of him getting in front of children as part of the holiday program.

“I grew up in the same environment as them,” Mill said. “For me, seeing Allen Iverson drive by in a Rolls-Royce gave me the motivation of a lifetime to become who I am. I know I wanted to meet A.I. if I could at the time, but I was probably standing on the corner in the middle of the ‘hood, where it wasn’t good for him to stop. But seeing a man like that come from where I come from and really achieve what he was achieving, he gave me my motivation.

“So I know how important it is to make sure you tap special places when you have the chance to. There are kids and families that look up to you in a certain way.”

Rubin added: “I think we’re making real progress, and that’s exciting. We’re giving opportunities back to people that deserve a chance. You’ve got to turn every negative into a positive and you’ve got to turn adversity into good outcomes … we’re using this to fix the system for millions of people. I’d say we’re pretty motivated.”

Mill and Rubin, the former minority owner of the Sixers, serve as co-chairs of REFORM Alliance, a national nonprofit, bipartisan organization “committed to transforming probation and parole by changing laws, systems, and culture to create real pathways to work.”

Since the group’s inception in 2019, the alliance has helped pass 16 bills in 10 states, creating new pathways for 650,000 people to exit the system. According to research conducted by REFORM, Pennsylvania has the fourth-highest population under community supervision (probation and parole) in the country, with about one in 37 adults in the state under supervision.

Growing up in Detroit, Maddox witnessed several childhood friends fall victim to street violence and also some, unfairly, to the criminal justice system. In a similar sentiment with Mill, Maddox made sure to maximize his time with the children. He playfully acted as a judge with a stopwatch as they participated in 40-yard dashes.

“This is a beautiful idea,” Maddox said. “Giving kids an opportunity they usually don’t receive because of what’s happened in their lives. ... I know what these kids are going through, similar things that I went through when I was younger. Back then, I didn’t have these opportunities, they were very slim. I don’t even remember an opportunity like this with a specific target audience of families. But when I was young, I told myself, if I ever make the NFL, I would try to make an impact on the community.”

“It’s a blessing to have this platform,” Mailata said. “There’s only so much we can do with the time that we have. To be able to momentarily take these kids out of the world that they know and come from, it’s a privilege to show them part of the life that we get to live. It’s humbling. I hope they realize we’re here to be resources in the community.”

At the conclusion of the Eagles event, the children and REFORM leadership moved across the street to the Wells Fargo Center, where they were greeted by Sixers coach Doc Rivers. While the children sported No. 1 Hurts jerseys, they took turns asking Rivers questions in a press conference-style format.

“It’s time for you to be the reporters,” Rivers said jokingly.

With Mill and Rubin hovering over his right shoulder, Rivers handled a handful of basketball-related questions spanning from “What was it like to play against Michael Jordan?” to “Who’s your favorite Sixers player to coach?” By the end of the session, Rivers ended his availability on a more serious note that related to the daylong REFORM event.

“You’re going to make mistakes in life,” he said. “But you also have to be self-critical and honest to yourself. You have to keep running that race.”