Evan Rothstein, a member of the New England Patriots coaching staff, will wear shoes customized to promote the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism as part of the NFL’s My Cause My Cleats initiative.
“I’m Jewish. It’s of a high level of importance to me,” said Rothstein, assistant quarterbacks coach and director of game management.
“I think in today’s day and age, with everything going on, it’s important to support such a positive message about bringing people together to stand against hate,” he added.
The foundation, headquartered within the Gillette Stadium’s front offices, was established in 2019 by Robert Kraft, the team’s chairman and CEO.
“When I first got here, I became more aware of the foundation,” Rothstein said. “But certainly, Oct. 7 last year brought a bigger spotlight to what he’s trying to accomplish there.”
The shoes, which the assistant coach will wear on Dec. 1 during the team’s game against the Indianapolis Colts, sport a white, black and blue color scheme. A Star of David is featured on the front of one shoe with the word chai in Hebrew on the other. The Foundation to Combat Antisemitism’s blue square symbol and the phrase “Stand Up to All Hate” appear on the side.
“I think the overall unifying message is that if we remain silent, hate wins,” Rothstein said. “If one minority group is on the receiving end, eventually that will spread to all different groups.”