NFL Celebrates CTE Unawareness Month
The National Football League has announced it will be introducing CTE Unawareness Month this coming season. The league will promote the initiative using the hashtag #ForgetAboutCTE. All 32 franchises plan to show their support by outfitting their stadiums and player uniforms with foggy-gray patches which prominently feature the campaign’s slogan, “No One Is Above The Shield.”
“It just felt like time,” said NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell, when asked what prompted the league to focus its philanthropic efforts on CTE Unawareness. “It’s a subject that we’ve discussed internally for decades. Why not turn it into a new tradition that fans can enjoy every time they turn on a football game?”
Team owners, who unanimously approved the existence of CTE Unawareness Month at last March’s Annual League Meeting, are especially excited to give fans the chance not to acknowledge specific aspects of the disease.
“With the lovely weather we get year-round in Los Angeles, we thought our stadium would be the perfect place to set up some non-mood swings for the kids to enjoy,” said Los Angeles Chargers Owner, Dean Spanos. “We want to send the message that ‘As long as you’re in play, nothing can go wrong.’”
In a similar spirit, the Green Bay Packers plan to commemorate the historic month by bringing former, still healthy players onto the field as part of the halftime program during home games.
“Nothing is going to show our fans how important CTE Unawareness is to the Packer family quite like hearing living-legend Brett Favre not talk about the disease’s common symptoms and the destructive toll it takes on patient’s families,” said Green Bay Packers President, Mark Murphy. “I’m telling you – the second that ‘ol gunslinger reminds everyone of how special 1997 truly was for the state Wisconsin, CTE Unawareness will have taken over.”
The NFL has stated that it expects some pushback for its support of this issue, but when it comes to player safety, the league isn’t afraid to double down on a great idea – even if it costs $200 million in marketing.
