By Alex B

Over the last month the NFL showed how schizophrenic it could be in building its public brand. As is now custom, fans saw all the pink to raise awareness and money for breast cancer. Then, in the same month, fans saw the NFL promptly fine several players (Cameron Heyward, DeAngello Williams) for wearing small tributes to honor a father and a mother who died from the very disease. The claim is that these tributes conflicted with the NFL’s uniform policy.  So what are these terrible offenses?  Writing words of tribute on eyeblack and in the case of, a now disputed fine for Antonio Brown, wearing a pink mouth guard.

When the NFL struggles to find positive stories to build its brand – this dichotomy just seems odd. Added to that, the NFL seems to have no trouble with alterations on uniforms that pay tribute to NFL owners or some other team anniversary celebration.