Latest news with #RyanKalil
Business Wire
7 hours ago
- Business
- Business Wire
Osos Monterrey Makes Debut As a Team with LIGHT Helmets As First Official Partner
SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- LIGHT Helmets, the maker of the lightest and most innovative protective sports headgear, announced its expansion across North America by partnering with Osos Monterrey to enhance player safety and performance in the Liga de Fútbol Americano (LFA). The 2025 LFA season kicked off May 3, marking the first season of the franchise under the ownership of NFL All-Pro Ryan Kalil and NBA All-Star Blake Griffin, who acquired the team earlier this year. The Osos Monterrey will take the field this season wearing LIGHT Helmets' ultra-lightweight helmets, designed to reduce head and neck fatigue while delivering elite-level protection. At its core, LIGHT Helmets are known for reducing overall helmet weight by up to 40% when compared to top competitor models, providing a customized and cool fit, while still maximizing protection. LIGHT Helmets has supplied helmets to Osos Monterrey and other teams across the LFA, helping bring next-gen protection to athletes competing at the highest levels in Mexico. 'We're proud to equip the Osos Monterrey with LIGHT Helmets as they enter a new chapter in the LFA,' shared Nick Esayian, CEO of LIGHT Helmets. 'This partnership reflects our commitment to expanding access to high-performance head protection and supporting the growth of football in new regions. We're excited to help raise the standard of safety and performance for teams across the league.' "From the very beginning, player safety was a top priority," said Ryan Kalil. "With LIGHT, we didn't have to choose between protection and performance." "The lightest helmet on the market not only reduces player fatigue but also meets some of the highest safety standards in the game," added Blake Griffin. "We look forward to our partnership not only with Osos, but across the league and with the youth in Mexico who play tackle football." This collaboration marks a meaningful step forward in helmet safety for the LFA (Liga de Fútbol Americano) and underscores the league's rising profile. As more American athletes and companies invest in the LFA's success, partnerships like this help build a stronger, safer future for football across the world. About LIGHT Helmets LIGHT Helmets manufactures and distributes the lightest and safest protective headgear for professional, amateur and youth athletes. Its products are sold direct to professional, amateur and youth sports teams and leagues and are also available at retailers including Dick's Sporting Goods, Walmart and Scheels. LIGHT Helmets are in all 32 NFL team locker rooms, as well as in roughly 100 NCAA locker rooms and have earned the highest rating of 'Five Stars' by Virginia Tech. In conjunction with its advisory board of noted physicians, LIGHT developed its revolutionary products utilizing advanced materials from the battlefield, military aviation, and auto racing. The company is headquartered in Carlsbad, CA. About Mortal Media Mortal Media is founded by former NBA All-Star Blake Griffin and NFL All-Pro Ryan Kalil. Their scripted feature films and television projects aim to focus on the intersection of genre, comedy and sci-fi with an emphasis on high-concept narrative work, and unscripted projects across music, sports, and culture. The company currently has film, television, and documentary projects in development across a wide range of platforms, including Netflix, Paramount, 20th Century Studios, FX, and Disney. Their recent work includes Apple TV+ sci-fi dramedy series 'Hello Tomorrow!' and 20th Century Studios comedy feature 'White Men Can't Jump' on Hulu. Mortal Media is repped by WME, Ziffren Brittenham and Metro Public Relations. About Osos Monterrey (fka Fundidores Monterrey) Osos Monterrey (fka Fundidores (Smelters) de Monterrey,) was founded in 2017, and rebranded under new ownership in 2025. The team has become a powerhouse in the LFA, claiming their first championship in 2022. The team is led by Head Coach Jorge 'Pelón' Valdez, a standout player in his own right, Valdez holds the collegiate all-time tackles record for the Auténticos Tigres UANL. He has shaped the Fundidores into a dominant force in the league. The Fundidores made headlines in 2017 when NFL legend Chad 'OchoCinco' Johnson played his final professional game with the team, recording three catches and a touchdown. Known for their explosive offense, ranked #1 in the league for three consecutive years, the Monterrey football team features stars like QB Shelton Eppler, WR Torin Justice, and TE Tommy Auger. The team was acquired and rebranded in 2025 by an athlete group lead by former NFL All-Pro Ryan Kalil and NBA All-Star Blake Griffin.
Axios
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Axios
How a Carolina Panthers legend is elevating a football team he now owns
Charlotte remembers Ryan Kalil as the Carolina Panthers center — the man who snapped the ball to Cam Newton. Today, the retired NFL All-Pro player has traded his helmet and pads for the role of team owner. Why it matters: American football is huge stateside, but passion for the game is growing in other countries, too. Catch up quick: Earlier this year, Kalil and retired NBA All-Star Blake Griffin acquired Osos Monterrey, a professional Mexican football team playing in Liga de Fútbol Americano. Context: Mexico's passion for football (soccer) isn't a secret, but its love affair with football, the type with helmets and pads, isn't as widely known. Attendance ranges from 6,000-12,000 per game and it's a short season. Tickets range from $25-$50, Kalil says. They rebranded the team and had roughly three months to figure out the business side, Kalil says. Yes, but: The highest level of the sport in Mexico isn't a full-time job, Kalil tells Axios. Players are there because they love the game, but they still have day jobs. The goal is to elevate their team and the league to a point where it can be a full-time gig — including everything from league exposure to fields and equipment. The latest: That starts with outfitting players with better helmets. The team is working with LIGHT Helmets, which as the name implies, is a lighter helmet intended to keep players safe without impeding performance. "We need better exposure for [players], more resources for equipment, and honestly, that's part of our partnership with LIGHT Helmets," Kalil says. "It's that first step." Kalil says this is a sign for the players and the league as a whole that resources are coming. What we're watching: Kalil and Griffin are working on a documentary (akin to "Welcome to Wrexham") on Osos. Details including the timeline for its release and where you'll be able to stream it are TBD. It's expected to be released in either late 2025 or early 2026. The documentary will focus on Osos, but it will also look at the state of the league.
Yahoo
09-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Panthers on Super Bowl LIX teams
We haven't seen the Carolina Panthers play for a Lombardi Trophy in nearly a decade. But we will be able to see a few familiar faces fight for one on Sunday when the Philadelphia Eagles try to stop the Kansas City Chiefs from a three-peat. Here are the former Panthers on the Super Bowl LIX teams: Panthers great Cam Newton says he wouldn't trade his MVP award for Super Bowl title Former Panthers CB recalls play that could've 'changed' Super Bowl 50 Ryan Kalil gifted Christian McCaffrey Bruce Lee's personal sunglasses before Super Bowl This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Former Panthers on Super Bowl LIX teams
USA Today
28-01-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Panthers great Ryan Kalil forms all-star ownership group to acquire majority stake in pro football team
Carolina Panthers great Ryan Kalil is back in the game. Advertisement As announced on Monday, the former All-Pro center and six-time NBA All-Star Blake Griffin have acquired a majority stake in Fundidores, an American football team based in Monterrey, Mexico. Kalil and Griffin, also partners in their production company Mortal Media, formed an ownership group comprised of quite a few more all-stars to complete the acquisition—including Julius Peppers, Jonathan Stewart, Greg Olsen, Luke Kuechly, Ron Rivera, Christian McCaffrey, Sam Darnold and George Kittle. The duo will seek to elevate the league (Liga de Fútbol Americano) and the team, starting with its rebranding as Osos Monterrey. 'Football isn't just a game—for many of us, it's defined who we are,' Kalil stated, via an official press release. 'This won't be a passive investment; it's an opportunity to help grow the game internationally alongside lifelong friends who bring unmatched experience and perspective from playing at the highest level of professional sports.' In addition, Mortal Media will produce a documentary chronicling the exciting venture.
