At least the No Fun League has a heart.
At a time when the NFL has rolled out pink gloves, pink hats and short-lived pink penalty flags to support breast cancer awareness, Bears wideout Brandon Marshall plans to wear green cleats on Thursday night in support of his own foundation for mental illness, according to ESPN.
Marshall was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder in 2011 and has been vocal about his condition in the past, though he’s not looking to overshadow the NFL’s own campaign.
“The diagnosis of breast cancer can hit families hard. It affects all of us,” Marshall said. “We’re still working on the details to give, really give back to an organization that is doing work in the mental health area.”
Despite his good intentions, the league will almost certainly fine Marshall for his green cleats. Marshawn Lynch (shoes) and Cam Newton (visor clips) have already been penalized for wearing equipment that goes against the league’s uniform policy.
“I’m going to get fined, and I’m going to match that, and we want to partner with a cancer-care [charity],” Marshall said.
Unique to Marshall’s case, however, is that the receiver has made his intentions to violate the policy public knowledge beforehand. Though some early reports claimed Marshall would not be allowed on the field with green cleats, the league will simply fine him after the game, Pro Football Talk reports.
Marshall’s activism would seem like a breath of fresh air to a league so worried about its public image, but apparently to Roger Goodell, rules are rules.
