TORO's not just a zany mascot that rappels from the top of NRG Stadium, or gets fans to scream and yell at Texans games.
He's great at those tasks, and is an excellent gameday ambassador when the Texans play a home game. So great, in fact, he was recently named the NFL Mascot of the Year.
Yet, his greater impact outside of NRG Stadium on gameday happens the other 355 days of the calendar year.
TORO won the award after a vote of all 26 NFL mascots at the annual NFL Mascot Summit. He was chosen because of his "ability to adapt and innovate during the 2020 season including a strong gameday presence, social media presence and community impact."
So. with that, let's shine the spotlight a little brighter on that community impact.
Normally a regular visitor to classrooms around the Houston area, the shutdown during the Pandemic caused him to pivot in a unique way. He embraced the challenge, visited students learning in the virtual setting, and wound up impacting nearly 10,000 kiddoes in just the final two-plus months of school. Those appearances helped add some levity and cheerfulness at a time when many were frightened or feeling disconnected. In turn, sports mascots around the country quickly began doing the same type of thing in their respective communities.
On top of that, TORO Takes the Bull Out of Bullying presented by NOV has helped educate thousands of Houston-area students over a large chunk of the last decade. Players like defensive lineman Whitney Mercilus and running back David Johnson have been involved. There's no telling how many lives have changed for the better because of the awareness and education he's helped foster with this.
TORO’s Math Drills presented by ConocoPhilips, is an educational video series designed to help third and fourth graders tackle math through fun football examples. Fractions, multiplication and division, place value and money are all math components that the program focuses on, and in a typical year, more than 105,000 students across 13 states learn through the program.
The Get Fit with TORO program presented by Texas Children's Hospital, emphasizes full body health through building muscular strength, flexibility, cardiovascular health and proper nutrition.
He's constantly at Texas Children's Hospital, where he helps lift the spirits of youngsters who are sick or on the mend.
TORO's the hardest working employee in the organization, and his weekends are often filled with community events.
Congrats to a true hero in the community.
TORO won 2021 Mascot of the Year after a vote of all 26 NFL mascots at the annual NFL Mascot Summit.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
An image from the July 15, 2021 TORO photoshoot on the field at NRG Stadium.
