New England Revolution defender Andrew Farrell drives community forward | OneFootball

By MLSsoccer staff

New England Revolution defender Andrew Farrell has charted an MLS career that most players in the league can only dream of.

Since being picked No. 1 overall in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft, Farrell has made a Revs-record 341 appearances, won the 2021 Supporters' Shield, reached MLS Cup 2014 and was named a 2016 All-Star.

Beginning this season, Farrell additionally took on a player professional development role as an assistant coach in the Revolution academy, with sights on a possible post-playing managerial career.

And yet, the 33-year-old is arguably more proud of his off-field contributions.

Farrell's multiple community-related initiatives include his work with the Jessie Rees Foundation, a local pediatric cancer non-profit he's teamed up with to host “Andrew’s NEGU Crew” at Revolution home games.

"When you go home that night, you know that for a few minutes that day, you meant something to someone," Farrell wrote in a recent feature for The Players' Tribune.

"Probably way more than you can even understand."

The 'Courageous Kids' on Farrell’s NEGU (which stands for 'Never, Ever Give Up') Crew meet with the former All-Star before matches at Gillette Stadium and enjoy the action in their own private suite before capping off the evening with a lap of honor on the pitch, where they are joined by Farrell’s teammates and serenaded by the Revolution’s supporters.

Farrell's involvement with young cancer patients began nearly a decade ago during a team-sponsored event that introduced him to a then-10-year-old girl named Abby Waldron.

That life-changing moment led to a long-lasting friendship with Abby and her parents, Amy and Matt, that continues to this day. It also fueled Farrell's passion to help other kids facing similar health struggles.

"In 2023, six years after meeting Abby, I was asked by the Revs community outreach staff if I wanted to host children battling cancer at some of our home games," he wrote. "Total no-brainer, you know?"

For Farrell, a three-time Revolution Humanitarian of the Year award recipient, giving these children the VIP treatment at Gillette Stadium goes a long way in aiding their road to recovery.

"Who knows what they had gone through at that point, you know? And now, for a brief moment, all the heavy stuff was forgotten," he wrote. "That one day at least, he could simply be a kid again."

To support Farrell, Audi will be making a $50,000 contribution through the Audi Goals Drive Progress fund to the Jessie Rees Foundation.

As MLS celebrates its landmark 30th season, the Audi Goals Drive Progress Impact Award returns to recognize players making a difference beyond the pitch, highlighting Audi’s continued commitment to community impact. A selection committee – comprised of current players, technical staff, front office staff and media members – will consider current MLS players who are dedicated to enriching lives and improving communities across the league. The selected player will receive a $150,000 donation to support their charity of choice, with the award presented during MLS Cup presented by Audi.