The NFL decided to use its popularity to help raise funding and awareness for breast cancer medical research by using the color pink to highlight uniforms, game balls and other accessories. October is breast cancer awareness month, and the NFL used its showcase during October, 2010 to put its players and referees in uniforms with pink highlights.
Game Balls
All game balls used throughout the month of October during the 2010 season had pink ribbon decals emblazoned on them. Every pass thrown, every running play and every ball kicked during that month bore the pink decal.
Player Uniforms
Players wore their standard uniforms in games, but many players added the pink ribbon decals to their helmets and had pink ribbons embroidered on their uniform jersey and pants. Players were spotted wearing pink shoes, pink socks, pink wrist bands, pink chin straps, pink gloves and even pink belts to show their support for breast cancer awareness and research. Eye patches and sideline towels were also featured in pink to support the cause.
Field
On the field, the pink ribbon logo was used by each team for home games played in October, 2010. Additionally, the padding around the goalpost was pink. Officials used a pink coin for the coin toss at the start of the game. Coaches wore caps with pink stripes on them, and pink glow necklaces were available for purchase during the campaign kickoff at the Bears and Giants game, held on October 3rd.
Impact
The NFL's decision to support breast cancer awareness and research in its public display had an impact on football played at lower levels. Throughout the United States, college, high school and youth football teams followed the NFL's lead by wearing pink accessories and displaying pink logos. Many teams not only wore the pink accessories in the month of October, but carried it into the remaining weeks and months of the football season.
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