Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward, an American Heart Association Nation of Lifesavers NFL Player Ambassador, is using his platform to urge Cleveland residents to act as first responders during cardiac emergencies. Appearing on new billboards across the city for National CPR and AED Week (June 1-7), Ward is lending his voice to a lifesaving message: anyone can perform Hands-Only CPR. The initiative is part of the American Heart Association's national theme, 'You Are the First Responder Until Help Arrives,' launched in February 2026.
Ward, who lost his father to sudden cardiac death, is partnering with the Association to combat a dangerous misconception. According to the American Heart Association, nearly 6 in 10 American adults mistakenly believe that only people with special training should perform Hands-Only CPR. This belief can cost lives, as immediate CPR dramatically improves outcomes for cardiac arrest victims. Most cardiac arrests occur outside hospitals, making bystanders the only ones who can act in time. Currently, bystanders perform CPR only about 41% of the time, a gap the Association aims to close.
'People will often tell us they're afraid they'll do it wrong or think CPR requires certification before they can help,' said Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association. 'Here's what matters: if a teen or adult collapses, call 911, then push hard and fast in the center of the chest. Your hands can keep blood flowing until professionals arrive.'
More than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside hospitals each year in the U.S., with about 90% fatal. Most happen at home. Hands-Only CPR for teens and adults has just two steps: call 911, then push hard and fast in the center of the chest at 100-120 beats per minute — roughly the rhythm of 'Stayin' Alive' or 'Uptown Funk' — to a depth of approximately two inches.
'CPR is a personal duty,' Ward said. 'Heroism isn't limited to uniforms — it is everyday people stepping up for others. Whether you're at home, at the gym, or at a Browns game, cardiac arrest can happen anywhere, and you're most likely to save someone you know.'
The American Heart Association, which has over 60 years of CPR education and training experience, publishes the official guidelines for CPR. Through its Nation of Lifesavers campaign and collaboration with the NFL, the Association aims to double survival rates of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest by 2030, according to a study in Circulation. With nearly 3 out of 4 cardiac arrests outside hospitals occurring in homes, knowing how to perform CPR is critically important.
The billboard campaign, featuring Ward's image and the Association's message, reinforces that people don't need medical credentials to save a life with CPR — just the courage to act. For more information on learning Hands-Only CPR, visit www.heart.org/nation.
