More Than a Game: Steven Sims Jr.’s Must See Classic Brings Football and Community Together

By Kiera Baker | KST Media
Football • Community • Athlete Impact

Football brought everyone to the field, but the Must See Classic was about much more than the game.

Hosted by NFL wide receiver Steven Sims Jr., the annual co-ed flag football event brings together professional athletes, friends, supporters and members of the community for a day that combines competition with a larger mission.

I had the opportunity to cover the event from the sidelines, speaking with Sims and several of the athletes and personalities participating in the Classic.

What stood out wasn’t simply who was on the field.

It was why they were there.

Steven Sims Jr.: Creating Something Bigger Than Football

At the center of the Must See Classic is Sims, whose vision for the event extends beyond putting together a competitive flag football game.

Through the Must See Foundation, the event provides an opportunity to use sports as a platform for community engagement and youth impact.

For Sims, football is part of the story—but not the entire story.

His work with the Classic demonstrates how athletes can use the platform they’ve built through sports to create opportunities that reach beyond their professional careers.

That was one of the things I wanted to understand when I spoke with him at the event.

Rather than simply showing up as the recognizable NFL player attached to the event, Sims was connected to the purpose behind it.

And that changes the meaning of the Classic.

It’s not just an event carrying his name. It’s an extension of the impact he wants to make.

NFL Talent, Different Jerseys

The Must See Classic also created a different environment for athletes who are normally seen competing in professional football.

Among those participating and speaking with KST Media were NFL players Xavier Hutchinson, Tremon Smith and British Brooks.

But this wasn’t an NFL stadium.

There weren’t thousands of fans watching from the stands or a regular-season result at stake.

The atmosphere allowed athletes to compete, interact and connect with the community in a setting far removed from a typical professional football Sunday.

That’s part of what makes events like the Must See Classic interesting to cover.

Fans get to see another side of athletes they normally experience through statistics, highlights and game results.

The Stories Beyond the Sideline

Throughout the event, I had an opportunity to speak with people representing different sides of sports and fitness.

In addition to Sims, Hutchinson, Smith and Brooks, I spoke with online fitness coach Skylar Gabrielle.

Each conversation added another perspective to the day.

And as a reporter, those conversations are an important part of covering an event like this.

The game provides the action.

The interviews help explain the people and purpose behind it.

That’s where the story becomes bigger than a final score.

When Athletes Give Back

Professional athletes have platforms that can reach far beyond the teams they play for.

Events like the Must See Classic demonstrate what can happen when that visibility is directed toward community.

Young people get an opportunity to see professional athletes in a different environment. Families and supporters come together. Athletes reconnect with communities. And sports become a vehicle for something larger.

For Sims, the Classic is an opportunity to bring those pieces together.

Football may be what created the platform.

Community is what gives that platform another purpose.

From Athlete to Reporter

Covering the Must See Classic also had personal significance for me.

Before becoming a journalist, I was a collegiate basketball player. Sports taught me about competition, preparation and teamwork, but moving into journalism has allowed me to see another side of athletics.

Now I’m interested in what happens beyond the competition.

Who is the athlete when the game ends?

What matters to them outside their sport?

How are they using the opportunities athletics created for them?

Those are questions that can’t always be answered by watching a game.

Sometimes you have to step beyond the sideline to find them.

More Than a Game

There will always be a place for scores, statistics and highlights in sports journalism.

But sports can also create connection, build community and give athletes a platform to make an impact.

That’s what I saw at the Must See Classic.

Steven Sims Jr. brought people together through football, but the purpose extended well beyond what happened on the field.

And that’s what made the event worth covering.

Because sometimes the biggest impact of a game has nothing to do with who wins.

MORE FROM THE MUST SEE CLASSIC

KST Media also spoke with Xavier Hutchinson, Tremon Smith, British Brooks and Skylar Gabrielle during the event.