Arthur Moats has been regarded as one of the highest character individuals ever since he stepped into the Pittsburgh Steelers’ locker room. Moats continued to show that yesterday after donating $300,000 to his alma mater, James Madison.
According to a JMU press release, that money will go to scholarships for the art program and the campus’ Convocation Center. In return, the university will name their weight room after Moats.
“We take great pride in knowing we’re truly making a difference in the valley area and ultimately improving it. The fact that we get to support JMU Athletics in the process is icing on the cake,” Moats said.
Per the release, it’s the largest donation ever made to the university by an individual under the age of 30.
Athletic director Jeff Bourne was obviously grateful for the monetary donation but noted Moats’ impact hasn’t just been financial since graduating.
“[Moats] has been a frequent visitor over the years and a close friend and advocate. When we talk about providing the model student-athlete experience at JMU, one need look no further than Arthur Moats for a living example.”
Moats was a star player at JMU, including racking up 23.5 TFL and 11 sacks his senior season while leading the team with 90 tackles. He’s been known for his community outreach and was named the Buffalo Bills’ Walter Payton Man Of The Year in 2013.
He was in the news last week for his eye poking of Johnny Manziel, something that drew the ire of many Cleveland Browns’ fans, but hopefully this news shows he and his family are genuinely good people and a fine addition to Pittsburgh community.
