Players joining forces off the field for good causes is nothing new. All one has to do is look back on the past month for several examples. Every fan was treated to the NFL Pink campaign for an entire month as the league relaxed its uniform rules and players raised awareness for breast cancer. Hurricane Sandy in New York was a painful reminder that there’s far more to life than football, as the NFL and the NFLPA made donations to assist the relief efforts.
Last month on separate weeks both Brandon Marshall and Jay Cutler of the Chicago Bears reached out to the family of a Bears fan killed after a game in Jacksonville. Both players have been seared in the media over the past two years for character flaws and perceived attitude problems, but their acts of kindness barely generated a blip on the radar. True, sincere charity isn’t done for publicity, but in this age where negativity and fabricated conflicts drive many “news” stories, it’s important to reflect on off-field contributions. It doesn’t take much for some athletes to make a big difference, but a small difference is all it takes for some people’s lives to be greatly uplifted.
