The Five Most Charitable Athletes in the NFL Right Now

There are times when it's hard to think of some of those in the NFL with anything but disdain when you're not a fan of theirs, but in the case of charity and what they give back to their communities or others it's hard not to think of them as decent people when they're not standing against your team. Off the field a lot of them have found ways to spread the wealth so to speak and have done what they can to help make life better for other people that either don't have the opportunities they've had in life or are in the same position they might have found themselves in back in the day. In any case for some it's a PR stunt, which makes them look good but doesn't mean much, and for others it's a great way to give back and something that they truly believe in. Just because they've hit the big time and been on top for a while doesn't mean that they don't have a heart. In fact some of those in the NFL give pretty generously when it comes to donations and their time.

Here are some of the most charitable NFL players today.

5. Tom Brady

The veteran QB and one of the main reasons behind the Patriots' success is the savior in Boston but is the bane of many others' existence since he's been so dominant in his career that the Patriots have been the team to beat for many a year. Off the field however his charity work is just as impressive as his numerous wins. He is an active partner with Best Buddies International, which is an organization that helps those with disabilities by pairing them with friends and mentors that can help them get around and. Recently Brady donated a $170,000 speaking fee to the organization, which is something his fans would no doubt cite as making him a rather kind-hearted individual. He's also been known to work with the Boys & Girls Club of America as well.

4. Drew Brees

A lot of the NFL's most generous individuals are quarterbacks since let's face it, they make the most money out of anyone and can definitely afford to be charitable. It also manages to polish their image as a nice guy and shows the world that they're not all about the money. While they make enough to absorb the kind of donations they give out, guys like Drew Brees are known for being all-around nice guys that want to make a difference. Brees founded the Brees Dream Foundation in 2003 and since then the foundation has raised over $22 million for causes all around the world such as cancer research, Hurricane Katrina recovery, and much more. Brees actually won the Bart Starr Award in 2011 for his contributions.

3. Aaron Rodgers

It might seem that all Aaron Rodgers does is commercials and date one of the hottest women in Hollywood, but he's done his fair share by giving his money and his time to those in need. He managed to raise $50,000 in Celebrity Jeopardy to fight children's cancer and he's also an activist with the Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer Fund. Mr. Discount Doublecheck is actually said to be a very nice guy and is more than willing to make a difference in the lives of children since he considers it to be worth it and because, well, he's just a really nice guy. But for all that he doesn't want to be known for it, he just wants to be involved and do some good.

2. Eli Manning

Manning made Forbes' 2012 list of most generous celebrities after donating $1 million to the University of Mississippi. He's also raised around $3 million to help build a children's clinic that bears his name. On top of that he's managed to host a golf classic for the past nine years that brings in around $700,000 that is used to provide seeing-eye dogs for the blind. That's a lot of contributions and a lot of goodwill to bring to anyone, so it might seem that Eli is a bit off kilter when he's on the field, but when he's off and it's the off season you can imagine that he's doing his best to make a difference in the lives of others.

1. Richard Sherman

As one of the most outspoken players on the field you might think that Sherman is more of a pain in the rear than anything but it's not the case. During his time with the Seattle Seahawks (yes, he has gone over the Niners now) he founded Blanket Coverage, which is an organization that helps to provide children with clothes and school supplies. This group also helps those underprivileged children with the things they need in order to succeed in their school years and in life.

So no matter what they say or do on the field you can at least come to understand that off the field they are doing what they can to better the lives of others.