Three NFL players with Alabama roots are featured in a new Verizon commercial campaign called "The Team That Wouldn't Be Here," which is intended to put a spotlight on the work of first responders.

Eleven NFL players and one NFL coach share their stories of how first responders saved their lives.

Among the participating players are Tennessee Titans center Ben Jones, Oakland Raiders quarterback AJ McCarron and Jacksonville Jaguars long snapper Carson Tinker.

McCarron and Tinker played at Alabama. McCarron and Jones were Alabama prep stars -- McCarron at St. Paul’s in Mobile and Jones at Bibb County in Centreville.

The 60-second commercial introducing the series premiered on Sunday and will culminate with an ad during the Super Bowl LIII telecast on Feb. 3. All 12 videos can be viewed at allourthanks.com.

Many of the spots feature the first responders responsible for saving the lives of the future NFL players.

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An accident at a baseball game left Jones with a subdural hematoma when he was 10 years old.

"I want to give the first responders a big hug," Jones said, "and be like, 'Y'all don't know what y'all did to my life.' I wouldn't be able to play football in the NFL and have an amazing family or live out my dream if it wasn't for them."

A jet-ski accident left the left side of McCarron's face crushed when he was 4 years old.

"To all the first responders, you're the true heroes of this world," McCarron said. "They are the reason that I'm here."

Tinker survived the tornado that devastated Tuscaloosa on April 27, 2011, despite being blown through the air by the storm and landing unconscious with multiple injuries. Nearly 250 people were killed in tornadoes across Alabama that day.

"There was a lot of people that didn't make it through that day," Tinker said, "and for some reason, I did make it. So every day, I'm trying to earn it."

During the campaign, Verizon will donate $1 to First Responder Outreach every time someone shares to Twitter or Facebook with #AllOurThanks from the allourthanks.com website via the share buttons, share any Verizon social-media post with #AllOurThanks on Twitter or Facebook, or posts on Twitter with #AllOurThanks, up to $1.5 million.

A documentary made by Peter Berg on the backstories of the first responders will premiere at "Super Bowl Live" on Jan. 31 in Atlanta.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.