By Sam Gardner, FOXSports.com Last season, an 11-year-old boy convinced the NFL to use pink penalty flags for one game as part of its breast cancer awareness initiative. This year, the league decided to use the pink penalty markers throughout its October campaign, but after the hankies drew the ire of fans and broadcasters alike on Sunday, the NFL has decided to shelve the idea going forward.According to USA Today, the NFL will return to its traditional yellow flags starting in Week 6, even though the breast cancer awareness campaign runs through Week 7. The change came after many watching Sunday’s games found themselves confusing the players’ pink sweat towels for penalty markers when they dropped to the turf.
@NFL I understand it is Breast Cancer awareness but the pink flag is really throwing me off. Change it back to yellow. — Michael Helmer (@MHelmer15) October 6, 2013
Is it a pink flag or towel @nfl? Way to filter yourself... #fail — Mr. d (@PoloHeady) October 4, 2013
I know its Breast Cancer month but the @NFL needs to keep the yellow flags. Its confusing to see a pink flag flying around on a penalty. — Gee Q (@TheRealGee_Q) October 4, 2013
While certainly well-intentioned, the pink flag initiative was definitely problematic, and since TV is where the money is at, it’s probably best that the league reacted like it did. And for those concerned that taking away the pink flags will somehow diminish the breast cancer initiative’s visibility over the next two weeks, fear not: Other pink items, including coins, gloves, towels, goal post padding and sideline hats, will remain in place, as scheduled. Questions? Comments? Send them to lacesoutmail@gmail.com and we might respond in our weekly mailbag!
