CAHOKIA HEIGHTS, Ill — Sometimes, it's good to not stay in your lane.
That's what we saw Friday night in Cahokia Heights as some NFL stars traded in their cleats for kicks on the court.
It was Cahokia native Terron Armstead who made the star-studded event at Cahokia Heights High School possible.
The celebrity charity basketball game boasted a stacked roster, including New Orleans Saints defensive end Cam Jordan and Hansel Emmanuel, the one-armed D1 basketball legend.
All of the players helping to put a brighter spotlight on the Metro East community as hometown hero Armstead has done for years since making it to the NFL in 2013 with the New Orleans Saints.
"That brief moment, that brief exchange, is a lifelong memory," Armstead told 5 On Your Side's Annie Krall. "It's a lifelong experience. You create a new fan... ."
The Cahokia Heights dance team showed up for the iconic alum.
"I really feel like him being back here and bringing all the celebrities makes it much bigger, and it gives the kids something to look forward to," their dance coach Charzae Brown said.
Ahead of the basketball game, the NFL and basketball stars took time to sign pieces of history in order to help create a more inspired tomorrow.
"I feel like he's one of the best linemen in the NFL," incoming fifth grader Tiger Wood said.
Wood, a Cahokia student who bares a similar name to the famous golfer but is inspired perhaps even more by Armstead said, "I mean I've been looking up to him since I was about four years old. He's pretty cool."
The five-time pro-bowler nicknamed "T Stead" was a wall during the 2023 NFL season. A skillset of determination, hard work, and sacrifice— things he said he learned in Illinois.
"I competed in track and field for Cahokia High School," Armstead said. "The Cahokia track background, lineage [and] championship history is extensive."
The Terron Armstead Foundation focuses on closing the opportunity gap in St. Clair County through career readiness, entrepreneurial exploration, and leadership opportunities.
"AI, tech, politics or anything— we try to introduce and expose our youth to every possible walk of life, so they don't just have to think football or basketball," Armstead said. "You can think about anything you could possibly want to do."
Looking at the future of this 32-year-old veteran's NFL career?
"We have some great new acquisitions," Armstead said. "Third year in the system with Mike McDaniel. We have a new defensive coordinator coming in from Baltimore. I love where we are."
Especially loving when Armstead gets to be at home.
On Saturday, Armstead will host a free football skills camp for kids at Cahokia High School from 9:30 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Besides football speed and passing drills, there will be face painting, snow cones, and bounce houses at the school— plus the chance to meet the local NFL star himself.