Every time a football hits the field, it carries the weight of an outdated tradition—one built on suffering. The leather in NFL and CFL footballs doesn’t come from “pigskins” anymore—it comes from cows who endure fear, pain, and brutal deaths in slaughterhouses like the one just exposed in PETA’s undercover investigation.

Wilson Sporting Goods, the exclusive supplier of official NFL and CFL footballs, makes about 700,000 leather footballs every year. That means at least 70,000 cows are killed annually just to make game balls. The footage from Rodabaugh Bros. Meats, a slaughterhouse tied to Wilson’s supply chain, shows cows watching their herd mates being shot, skinned, and dismembered before suffering the same fate themselves. This is the reality behind every leather football on the field.

But Wilson doesn’t have to wait for leagues to act. They already manufacture high-performance synthetic balls for other levels of play. And science has advanced: plant-based leathers made from cactus, apple, mushroom, and even pineapple are proving durable, sustainable, and cruelty-free.

Wilson helped shape the modern game—now they can help shape a more compassionate future for it.

We’re calling on Wilson Sporting Goods to lead by example: publicly commit to researching and developing a premium, plant-based football that meets NFL and CFL standards. This isn't about compromising performance—it’s about evolving our values. Athletes today stand for more than stats; they stand for community, justice, and change. The ball they play with should reflect that.

Imagine a future where no animal suffers just so we can cheer from the stands. With innovation and vision, Wilson can make that a reality.

Sign this petition to urge Wilson to invest in a plant-based football—and to show the NFL, CFL, and the world that cruelty has no place in the game.