LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Well known for a dance in the end zone (that he taught me), one of the great running backs of the late 1980s is giving back in a personal way.
WATCH | Ickey Woods holds charity golf tournament in Las Vegas
Former Cincinnati Bengal and UNLV Rebel Ickey Woods held his 4th annual "Fairways Fore Airways" celebrity golf tournament at Lake Las Vegas on Monday. It attracted former pro athletes from the NFL, NBA, and MLB.
Held at SouthShore Country Club, the event raised money for asthma research and local youth sports. An asthma attack took the life of Woods' son, Jovante, in 2010.
"I lost my son to asthma and what we try to do is get out and educate people about how serious severe asthma really is and try to save lives," Woods told me. "Asthma’s a deadly disease and the more information we can get out there, the more lives we can save.”
Woods rose to fame when he broke out in his 1988 rookie season for the Bengals. His touchdown celebration, 'The Ickey Shuffle,' is regarded as one of the most well-known signature celebrations in NFL history.
WATCH | Woods teaches me The Ickey Shuffle
To this day, players will do the shuffle as a nod to Woods' dance. This golf tournament allows Woods to give a nod to his late son while helping others.
“I’m a guy that grew up watching Ickey do the Ickey Shuffle and in the commercials," Super Bowl-winning former Buccaneers quarterback Shaun King said. "Being able to come out and help support near and dear to his heart, I wouldn’t pass it up.”
“I really commend him for it," former Chiefs running back Christian Okoye said. "To lose a child and then doing this is, every time we do this event it reminds you of the tragedy. He’s willing to go through that to raise money to help others, which is extremely important.”
Helping former athletes and old friends reconnect, Woods hopes this golf tournament can "grow and grow and grow" over the years while funds help save lives.
To learn more about Woods' foundation and his asthma research efforts, you can visit jovantewoodsfoundation.org.
