The NFL honors fallen soldiers, 9/11 victims, and cancer awareness, But a player cannot honor his own father, who passed away from cancer, during a cancer awareness month. I do understand the NFL has rules specifying the league’s uniform policy against “personal messages”, but something has to give. He was an NFL star for goodness sake.
So Let’s Honor his father right now!
Craig William “Ironhead” Heyward September 26, 1966 – May 27, 2006
Ironhead was selected 24th pick overall in 1988 by the New Orlean Saints. He was drafted out of the university of Pittsburgh where his 3,086 yards rushing is third all-time in their history, and he did this in only three seasons! Craig “Ironhead” Heyward earned a reputation as being a nightmare for defenses because he was surprisingly quick, as he was larger and stronger than most defenders. At 5’11 and listed sometimes at 250 lbs and sometimes 340lbs, Heyward was one brutal running back that punished all who stood in his way. He devastated would be pass rushers with his bulldozing blocking and his brick wall physique.
Ironhead was only as mean as he was big when he was on the field of play. During the mid 90’s Heyward showed off his sense of humor in a series of Zest body wash commercials and introduced an entire generation of young men to the Luffa, which he fantastically dubbed “thingy”. Heyward’s tough guy demeanor gave life to the humor found in the commercial.
Not only was Ironhead a great football player and a hilarious spokesman for a body wash conglomerate, he was a father who was taken from his children and this Earth too soon. Here’s to you IRONHEAD!!!
“October is the month where the NFL shows how much it cares by having players wear pink to show their support for breast cancer. But the NFL won’t allow Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Cameron Heyward to honor his father, who lost a battle with cancer in 2006.Heyward tweeted Wednesday that he had been fined by the NFL. Not for causing an injury with a helmet-to-helmet blow, and not for criticizing the officials. He was fined for putting the message “Iron Head” on his eye black.” – Report by Dave Hogg
More here: NFL fines Cameron Heyward for honoring his father Ironhead, who died from cancer