NFL Players Will Wear Pink Cleats, Gloves

To follow-up my NFL Supports Breast Cancer Awareness Month post from yesterday, here is a photo sent to me by the Minnesota Vikings. Linebacker Chad Greenway is the team’s breast cancer spokesperson. And during the month of October—along with teammates Antoine Winfield, Brett Favre and Chester Taylor—Chad will be donning these pink cleats (along with other pink-themed equipment) in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Chad’s wife Jenni is also getting involved. She will be one of many volunteers handing out pink ribbons and towels Monday night at the Metrodome when the Vikes host the Green Bay Packers.

Chad Greenway's pink cleats / Photo courtesy Minnesota Vikings

Chad was humbled that wearing pink cleats could mean so much:

“I think the purple and pink will clash. But we’ll make it work ….. It’s something our family has battled through, with my grandmother. We watched her battle, and I thought it would be a great opportunity to take the lead on it. I was excited for the chance, because there’s only a few guys on each team that get a chance to do that. And to be chosen, for whatever reason, was a great privilege. You can’t talk to anybody who hasn’t been affected by some form of cancer. For every survivor, and every person who is battling it, it’s more than just a color.”

Now, these certainly aren’t the only players who plan to wear pink equipment this month. All 32 teams have reps ready to support the cause. But as long as we’re pumping players named Chad wearing pink cleats, check out Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco’s pink wardrobe plans on his Twitpic. He’s going with pink wristbands as well as a chin strap and mouthpiece, too. Pretty awesome stuff, Chads.

Sources: TwinCities.com, twitpic.com/photos/ogochocinco