NFL should rethink rulings
The National Football League, as we know all too well, has no shortage of unsavory characters, so when a few of the good guys – who just happen to be Pittsburgh Steelers – tried to send positive messages, one might think the league would be supportive.
Not so fast. The league, which is known under the leadership of commissioner Roger Goodell for shooting itself in the foot, did it again.
The NFL fined Steelers defensive lineman Cameron Heyward for wearing eye black that had a message honoring his late father, former Pitt and NFL player Craig “Ironhead” Heyward, who died of cancer in 2006. It did the same to defensive back William Gay, whose wearing of purple shoes was designed to raise awareness about domestic violence, which claimed the life of his mother, and to running back DeAngelo Williams, who wore “Find the Cure” on his eye black in reference to breast cancer, which killed his mother and four aunts. Williams also was told he could not continue to wear pink on his uniform past the end of October, when the NFL’s official breast cancer observance came to a close.
We understand that the NFL wants to keep some sort of control and make sure the players’ uniforms and appearance are, well, uniform. But wouldn’t it be possible for a league with thousands of employees to have one guy or gal who could consider requests from folks like Heyward, Gay and Williams on a case-by-case basis? It doesn’t seem too much to ask.