Rucci brothers, Warwick grads turned NFL players, give back to community at Wolf Sanctuary of PA event

Hayden and Nolan Rucci wanted to give back to the Lancaster/Lititz area, and it seemed there was no better way to do it than through a new hobby the NFL-playing brothers have picked up.

When one views their social media accounts, there are videos of them exploring nature and showing their love for it.

The two wanted to share that love and help kids to learn about nature, so they hosted an event at the Wolf Sanctuary of PA in Lititz on Thursday.

"I know for me, I came here as a high school field trip," Hayden said, "and it had such a great impact on me, just seeing these great animals out here in our hometown was so cool. So, I thought it was just something that we could do for these kids to get them to experience the outdoors and nature."

The Ruccis partnered with Highmark Caring Place to bring kids to the event.

"Highmark Caring Place, they're a foundation that helps families, and especially children, who have experienced loss of a parent or family member," Hayden said. "It's kind of a crazy parallel when you look at these wolves and the animals that are here who have either been displaced or have lost a family member themselves.

"I think it can be a really cool lesson for them just to see in nature how sometimes you find a better home, find a great situation, and make friends who you would have least expected to make."

The event kicked off by introducing the kids to the Ruccis and the guides, then the tour was underway.

After meeting different wolves - from a safe distance - and learning facts, the brothers did a round of trivia with the 20 kids who attended.

Once trivia and the tour concluded, each child was given a gift bag with binoculars from Vortex Optics and gift cards to encourage them to continue to be adventurous.

The brothers stuck around to sign autographs and take pictures, joking with the kids and asking them questions about their lives, making each interaction personal.

Warwick to the NFL

Hayden and Nolan graduated from Warwick High School before attending the University of Wisconsin on football scholarships.

Hayden finished all four years at Wisconsin, while Nolan ended up transferring and graduating from Penn State, where their father, Todd, played before spending seven seasons with the New England Patriots.

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Hayden, a tight end, signed as an undrafted free agent in May 2024 with the Miami Dolphins, for whom he played four games last season. The 25-year-old is now with the San Francisco 49ers.

Nolan, a 23-year-old offensive tackle, signed as an undrafted free agent with the Indianapolis Colts in May and is a rookie.

The two found a drastic difference between their high school days and the NFL.

"You talk about the speed of the game changing, and obviously you have that transition from high school to college where all the best guys you went up against in high school are now the average guys you're going against," Nolan said. "So now, it's all the best college players you were up against is the baseline for the guys you're going to be going up against."

But those differences haven't scared him one bit.

"Comes with time, comes with reps, but it's an exciting process to kind of jump into headfirst," he said.

For Hayden, one of the biggest differences he noticed was the group that he had around him and the shift in responsibility.

"And the other part of that is the preparation side," Hayden said. "Like, in high school and college, there's a lot of people kind of surrounding you, looking after you, making sure you're doing what you need to be doing. And then once you get into the league, the preparation really falls upon yourself, just to stay ready and to make sure you're doing all the things you need to be doing. The accountability falls on you more."

The Ruccis enjoy coming back to their roots in the summer when they can. Hayden said this is the longest he recalls being home since graduating from high school.

"Having the opportunity to come back here and, you know, really spend some time kind of where we came from," Nolan said. "It's a really cool opportunity to be back with friends, be back with family. Obviously, be able to train with an older brother who's been through this process before, pick his brain and my dad's brain on what that looks like, jumping into the NFL."

For Hayden, despite traveling all over the United States for football, his appreciation for where he grew up continues to grow.

"And it's crazy because the more time I spend away and the further I get away from Lititz and Lancaster County, the more of an appreciation I have for it," Hayden said. "It's a really cool just to kind of experience all over the country, and there's not a whole lot of places like Lancaster County."

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