You never know who will stop by Mississippi’s lone children’s hospital to spend time with patients.
Members of the Ole Miss football team made the two-and-a-half hour trip from Oxford to Jackson on June 10 to visit with youth at Children’s of Mississippi. The act of goodness by the players also served as a moment of excitement and pure joy for children battling unimaginable ailments.
Notably, Rebel quarterback Trinidad Chambliss was spotted signing autographs and posing for pictures with patients, defensive back Jaylen Braxton was joining youth on an on-site playground slide and monkey bars, and running back Joshua Dye was enjoying a round of Connect 4 with one of the children, among other activities the players engaged in while visiting.
“A big thank you to Ole Miss Football for stopping by to spend time with our patients,” Children’s of Mississippi posted on its Facebook page. “Your kindness and encouragement helped make today extra special for the children and families we serve.”
The gesture is not an unfamiliar one for the Ole Miss football team. Back near Christmas time in 2024, former Rebel signal-caller turned New York Giants starter Jaxson Dart passed out stuffed animals to patients at Children’s of Mississippi while also talking to many of the youth and their families.
It’s also likely that the most recent visit from members of the Ole Miss football team will not be the last. Since taking over as head coach in November, Pete Golding has stressed the importance of giving back to the community. Noting the dominant home record Ole Miss has had on the gridiron since he first arrived in Oxford as defensive coordinator in 2023, Golding believes it’s imperative to support those who have supported the program.
“Over a three-year stint since I’ve been here, we’ve lost one home game,” Golding told reporters in an April press conference. “That’s because a lot of people in that stadium have created an environment and an atmosphere that’s really hard to play in. And you’ve got to give back to people who give to you, in my opinion.”
Jackson is not Oxford, obviously. But it’s Mississippi’s capital city, and its metro area boasts a sizeable share of the Ole Miss fanbase. The children’s hospital is also the dedicated pediatric arm of the University of Mississippi Medical Center, so it would only make sense for the Ole Miss football program to represent its respective university and state — even away from Oxford.
Ole Miss will begin its highly anticipated football season versus Louisville in Nashville on Sept. 6. And the chances of the children who got to spend time with the players on June 10 tuning into game one are likely very high.
