My kid, who has been watching a lot of football this year as he prepares to (try) to take over PFT, helped justify the tax write off for NFL Sunday Ticket (I actually don’t take the write off, because I don’t know what a write off is) by pointing out a Week Four oddity.
The calendar says October, but only one game included pink uniform accessories and the pink ribbon on the field for breast cancer awareness.
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy tells PFT that the program officially lasts from Week Five through Week Seven this year, that an announcement will be made soon to that effect, and that the Chargers asked for permission to have their breast cancer awareness game in Week Four.
While McCarthy provided no details, it could be that each team will have one home game during which both teams will be permitted to wear pink in their uniforms. The NFL applies that approach in November, as part of the Salute to Service program.
If that’s the case, it will represent a sharp overall reduction in the presence of pink in NFL uniforms during October. Initially, pink was present in virtually every game played during the month. Now, it could be that pink will appear only 32 total times per year, with each team hosting one Breast Cancer Awareness game in a three-week window, with limited exceptions.