Philadelphia Eagles Owner Jeffrey Lurie Makes A Huge Investment In The Battle Against Autism
Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie is contributing $50 million toward autism research and treatment.
Jeffrey Lurie was already a winner before Tuesday dawned because his Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl last season and had that Philly Special moment in winning it all in February 2018. But this gift to help cure autism he is donating is different.
It's potentially transformational in curing the disease.
Lurie's $50 million gift is going to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and Penn Medicine to create a joint initiative called the Lurie Autism Institute. Its mission is to drive discoveries with transformative impact for those living with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie hoists the Vince Lombardi Trophy after defeating the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX at Ceasars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Lurie Gift Biggest In History
The gift, from the Lurie family, is the largest single donation to U.S. academic medical centers focused on autism research.
This is a big deal, folks. Over 75 million people worldwide are living with ASD, including one in 31 children and one in 45 adults in the United States.
The Lurie family’s investment is designed to strategically leverage CHOP and Penn Medicine’s strengths in autism research and translation to seek answers to the most challenging and important questions surrounding ASD.
"We established the Lurie Autism Institute to spark a new era of scientific discovery in autism,"Lurie said in a statement. "CHOP and Penn Medicine bring unmatched expertise and a proven record of innovation, and together, they have the tools to unlock answers that have eluded the field for far too long,
"By investing in cutting-edge science and the infrastructure to move it forward, we’re aiming not just to understand autism more deeply, but to transform what’s possible for individuals and families worldwide."
Feb 3, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie is interviewed during Super Bowl LIX Opening Night at Ceasars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Lurie Family Touched By Autism
Lurie's interest in getting a cure for Autism is tied to the fact his brother, Peter Lurie, was diagnosed with the disease when the Eagle's owner was six years old.
Lurie helped inspire the NFL's first sensory room at Lincoln Financial Field, a place where fans with autism can get away from the crowd and noise.
The Lurie family has a long history of supporting individuals living with ASD. In 1977, Nancy Lurie Marks founded the Nancy Lurie Marks Family Foundation (NLMFF) with a mission of helping individuals with autism lead fulfilling and rewarding lives.
That foundation established the Lurie Center for Autism at Massachusetts General Hospital in 2009, and Jeffrey Lurie created the Eagles Autism Foundation in 2018.
The Lurie Autism Institute at CHOP and Penn Medicine will complement and perhaps create new opportunities to understand the fundamental science of autism and improve the lives of individuals with ASD.
Feb 14, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie with the Vince Lombardi Trophy during the Super Bowl LIX championship parade and rally. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Lurie A Winner Beyond The Field
"The Lurie Autism Institute will enable us to find quicker and better answers for children and adults living with this complex condition," said Madeline Bell, the CEO of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. "We are so grateful to the Lurie family for their ongoing support of autism research, which will build on the success of established programs like the Center for Autism Research at CHOP and the Autism Spectrum Program of Excellence at Penn by bringing the top experts in the field together to make breakthroughs in autism research and care."
Lurie's gift obviously will not help the Eagles defend their Super Bowl championship in any way. But it clearly shows the guy is about more than winning games on the football field.