The NFL supports breast cancer awareness during the month of October but apparently it only does so on its terms.
DeAngelo Williams reportedly was fined $5,757 by the league Wednesday for having the words “Find the cure” and a breast cancer ribbon printed on his eye black, per NFL Media’s Aditi Kinkhabwala. The NFL previously denied the Pittsburgh Steelers running back’s request to wear pink all season to honor his mother, who died of breast cancer last year.
Williams has worn the eye black all October while the league has allowed players to wear pink gloves and cleats and has included the pink breast cancer ribbon on pieces of equipment like footballs and goalposts.
Kinkhabwala also spoke to Steelers cornerback William Gay, who reportedly was also fined Wednesday for wearing purple cleats for domestic violence awareness. Gay’s mother was a victim of domestic violence when he was 8 years old.
Gay told Kinkhabwala the fine didn’t bother him, but he hopes the league will donate his money toward domestic violence prevention. The cornerback also wants the NFL to give players one weekend where they’re allowed to promote causes with their uniforms.
Uniform violations have caused some controversy this season, especially for the Steelers. Pittsburgh defensive end Cameron Heyward also was fined earlier this month for wearing eye black with a message honoring his late father, but the NFL agreed to reduce it as long as he paid tribute to his father in other ways. But many are uncomfortable with the league policing players from supporting good causes in unobtrusive ways.
However, Devon Still said recently the NFL did not fine him last season when he wore eye black for his daughter Leah, so the enforcement seems to be inconsistent.
Thumbnail photo via Twitter/@goodhealth
