Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers' Williams, Gay fined by NFL for tributes to late mothers

Published Oct. 28, 2015 11:48 a.m. ET

foxsports

Steelers players DeAngelo Williams and William Gay will have to find another way to raise awareness for their causes unless they want to continue making donations to the NFL.

Each player was fined $5,787 for violating the league's strict mandate against uniform alterations. Williams had the words "we will find a cure" on his eye black this past Sunday against Kansas City, while Gay was wore purple cleats to bring attention to domestic violence.

Williams, who lost his mother to breast cancer last year, dyes his dreadlocks pink in tribute and to raise awareness for the disease. He's also worn pink socks and arm bands as many other players have this month, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month in the NFL. Williams requested to wear pink the entire season to continue raising awareness, but was denied by the league.

Gay's mother was killed when he was a boy in an act of domestic violence. Gay is willing to accept the cost of the fine since his message was received.

"People now know what purple means. We're taking steps," per NFL Network's Aditi Kinkhabwala.

William Gay not angry abt fine over purple cleats. Says, "People now know what purple means. We're taking steps." #domesticviolence
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) October 28, 2015

Just last week, Steelers defensive end Cam Heyward came to an agreement with the NFL to stop wearing eye black with the words "Iron Head" as a tribute to his late father, former NFL running back Craig "Iron Head" Heyward, who also died of cancer. Heyward was fined twice before he agreed to change back to standard black eye black.