Written by Francesca Prati
Millions of people tuned in to watch the Super Bowl this year, but few expected to see a familiar face from our own hallways on the screen.
Seventh grader Zayden Montoya was featured in a high-profile Super Bowl advertisement for the NFL’s Inspire Change initiative. The ad aims to show children that everyone has something special, regardless of who they are or how they look.
In the commercial, Zayden and other kids sang along to “You Are Special,” a song by the legendary Fred Rogers from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.
The advertisement also featured Steelers defensive lineman Cam Heyward and 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey. Heyward has been a longtime supporter of the Boys and Girls Club, which connected Zayden to this opportunity.
Worldwide, this youth organization has more than 5,500 club sites, with 11 located right here in Western PA. Chris Watts, the CEO of the Boys and Girls Club, said the commercial was meant to open doors for local youth. “We’re looking for opportunities and experiences to expose our kids to things that can open up their minds to what’s possible,” Watts said in a TribLIVE interview.
Back in November, Zayden spent over three hours on set at the Marburger Football and Baseball field in Mars, PA. The commercial featured over 12 local kids, aged 5-12, from the club’s Millvale location.
Zayden admitted his initial motivation was pretty simple: “I really wanted to do it so I could get money.” He did, in fact, get paid $250! That is $100 more than the standard rate for many non-union actors in similar commercials. While the ad made its big debut on Sunday, it also played at NFL games leading up to the Super Bowl.
Zayden says the fame feels a bit surreal. “It was weird seeing myself, but it was also cool.”
While some of his family and friends knew about the project, others were shocked to see him pop up during the big game. Whether this experience leads to future opportunities or remains a once-in-a-lifetime moment, it will not be forgotten by Zayden or our school community.
Zayden appears 19 seconds into the video.
