Former Ohio State Linebacker Chris Spielman Auctioning Memorabilia To Help Those Impacted By Coronavirus

Former Ohio State linebacker and current FOX Sports color analyst Chris Spielman is conducting an auction of his personal memorabilia collection in an attempt to raise $40,000 for those impacted by the coronavirus outbreak.

Among the first items for bid on eBay were Spielman’s 1984 Big Ten championship ring, his 1994 All-Madden Team leather jacket and autographed game-worn jerseys from his time with the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions. The ring sold for $12,000, the jacket sold for $2,718 and the Bills jersey sold for $1,125, while the Lions jersey — which is paired with his 1994 Pro Bowl watch — remains open for bids through April 6.

Spielman’s goal of $40,000 is the combination of the word “quarantine” — which originates from “quarantena,” the Venetian word for 40 days and the time that all ships were required to be isolated before crew could come ashore during the Bubonic Plague — and the length of Lent, the Christian period of preparation for Easter.

“If I’m going to talk about the importance of sacrificial giving, then I have to sacrificially give,” Spielman said on his ‘We Tackle Life’ podcast. “Some of this stuff means a lot to me. It’s not easy to sell it. But if it can buy groceries for a family for a week or a month, that’s more important than it sitting on my mantle. It can serve a bigger purpose off the mantle.”

Spielman,  a two-time All-American and Lombardi Award winner during his time with the Buckeyes (1984-87), has been paying it forward for a few weeks now, as he initially awarded $100 checks to eight people impacted by the spread of the virus, which has since grown to four $250 checks each week. He plans to sell more items in the coming weeks, including game-worn Ohio State gear and other related jewelry.