The National Football League will support October's National Breast Cancer Awareness Month with team community outreach. Games from Oct. 5-27 will be designated as NFL Breast Cancer Awareness games.
The league and teams will promote breast cancer awareness messages during the month with pregame and in-stadium initiatives, including "Pins That Touch Hearts." Coaches and game staff personnel will wear pink ribbon/NFL shield pins on the sidelines during games throughout the month of October.
In addition, the NFL Referee's Association presented a check for $14,000 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure during a pregame ceremony at Texas Stadium on Sept. 28. EA Sports will sell Madden NFL 09 Pink at Target stores during Oct. with proceeds going to the Deanna Favre HOPE Foundation. Featuring the same gameplay and graphics found in Madden NFL 09, Madden NFL 09 Pink features limited edition packaging displaying a pink ribbon.
Many teams will extend the national platform with local efforts. Teams will designate home games in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and plan special in-stadium or pregame events with local organizations. Team events include:
Arizona Cardinals -- The Cardinals will work with the Zeta Tau Alpha (ZTA) sorority to pass out pink ribbons at the Oct. 12 game.
Atlanta Falcons -- On Oct. 12, the Falcons will distribute pink ribbons at entrance gates. Participants in the Falcons Fitness Flag Crew will be breast cancer survivors from the Young Survival Coalition.
Baltimore Ravens -- A sponsor for the local Race for the Cure on Oct. 19, the Ravens are also fielding a team to participate in the event. The team will also host Komen representatives at the team's annual women's event for race registration and breast cancer awareness.
Buffalo Bills -- The Bills kicked off the Billieve breast cancer awareness program on Sept. 21. Breast cancer survivors were on the field for player introductions and 15,000 ZTA pink ribbon cards were distributed at stadium gates. Partners include the Western New York Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, to whom $5 from the sale of all Billieve logo merchandise is donated, and Kaleida Health.
Carolina Panthers -- Panthers cheerleaders, the TopCats, are volunteering at the Charlotte Race for the Cure on Oct. 4 and running in the race. ZTA will pass out Think Pink ribbons prior to Oct. 19 game.
Chicago Bears -- Special "Real Bears Fans Wear Pink" t-shirts have generated $80,000 in sales. Proceeds support breast cancer research and treatment programs in Chicago area. The Bears also honored a breast cancer survivor and worked with ZTA to pass out pink ribbons during the Sept. 28 game.
Cincinnati Bengals -- On September 28, 40 breast cancer survivors were honored pre-game while National City Bank employees formed a pink ribbon on the field. The team also distributed pink ribbons with ZTA and collected donations for local breast cancer awareness initiatives.
Cleveland Browns -- 50 breast cancer survivors will form the gauntlet for player introductions during the Browns game on Oct. 13. Over 25,000 pink ribbons will be distributed by ZTA volunteers, who will also be collecting donations for the One Dollar One Cause in partnership with National City Bank.
Dallas Cowboys -- The Dallas Cowboys Women's Association will join more than 70 Cowboys employees, families and friends at the Komen Dallas Race for the Cure on Oct. 18. Cowboys LB Bradie James has formed a Komen race team to walk that day on behalf of Foundation 56, his personal foundation which raises funds and awareness for breast cancer causes.
Denver Broncos -- The Broncos will post a large pink ribbon on their stadium throughout October. Broncos cheerleaders and staff also will participate in a fundraising race for the Komen Denver Race for the Cure on Oct. 5.
Detroit Lions -- Along with in-stadium announcements recognizing Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Lions are teaming up with ZTA sorority members to distribute pink ribbons at stadium gates prior to the game on Oct. 5. The Lions are also a sponsor for the annual Race for the Cure in Detroit.
Green Bay Packers -- On Oct. 11, members of the Packer Women's Association will participate in the American Cancer Society's Breast Cancer Awareness Run/Walk for their eighth year.
Houston Texans -- On Oct. 4, the Houston Texans Foundation and Robert and Janice McNair Foundation will sponsor the Kids Corral at the Susan G. Komen Race. A group of nearly 40, including fans, staff and members of the Lady Texans Wives Association will walk/run in the race.
Indianapolis Colts -- The Colts Women's Organization is teaming with ZTA to distribute pink ribbons prior to kickoff on Oct. 12. The Women's Organization will also make a $10,000 check presentation to the Indianapolis Chapter of the Susan G. Komen Foundation at halftime.
Jacksonville Jaguars -- The Jaguars will sell pink hats starting on Oct. 5 for the duration of the season, with net proceeds from the sales will benefit local breast cancer research efforts. The Weaver Family will match all net proceeds up to $50,000.
Kansas City Chiefs -- 40 members of the Chiefs Women's Organization distributed pink ribbon temporary tattoos to fans as they entered the stadium on Sept. 28.
Miami Dolphins -- Dolphins cheerleaders will be collecting donations at all home games in October. The Dolphins will host a special breast cancer awareness halftime program on Oct. 26, and wives and family members of Dolphin players will be handing out pink ribbons at stadium entry gates before the game.
Minnesota Vikings -- Members of the Vikings Women's Organization will be stationed outside stadium gates giving away pink ribbons along with members of ZTA on Oct. 12.
New England Patriots -- The Patriots partnered with RE/MAX to raise money for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure through an in-stadium collection in September.
New Orleans Saints -- The Saints sponsored the local Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure and LB Scott Fujita taped a PSA for the race that will air locally and in the Superdome on Oct. 12.
New York Giants -- The Giants are hosting their annual breast cancer awareness day on Oct. 5. They will work with ZTA to distribute free pink ribbons and donations will be made by The Giants Foundation for Breast Cancer initiatives to any special guest who can kick a field goal.
Oakland Raiders -- On Oct. 4, the Raiders are hosting their 11th annual Football 101 with Alta Bates Summit Medical Center to benefit breast cancer services for low income women. The team will be selling pink Raider caps to benefit the Carol Ann Read Breast Health Center, in conjunction with 7-Eleven, Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, and the Raider Image. A portion of all women's Reebok apparel sold at the Raider Image in the month of October will be donated to the Carol Ann Read Breast Health Center.
Philadelphia Eagles -- The Eagles will continue to sell pink hats and ties, having already raised $850,000 for breast cancer care and research. The team will also embrace all things pink at both October home games and throughout the month at a variety of events.
Pittsburgh Steelers -- The Steelers are selling a special Reebok pink Steelers t-shirt during October, with net proceeds going to Komen. ZTA volunteers will be handing out pink ribbon cards at the Oct. 26 game and the team will be making a $10,000 check presentation at that game.
St. Louis Rams -- One hundred breast cancer survivors formed a human pink ribbon on-field during halftime of Sept. 28 game, and ZTA volunteers passed out pink ribbons at that game. Earlier this year, the Rams established Team Georgia, in memory of late team owner and chairman, Georgia Frontiere, who lost her battle with breast cancer in January. Team Georgia's members raised more than $23,000 for breast cancer research by participating in the Komen St. Louis Race for the Cure.
San Diego Chargers -- The Chargers are distributing educational materials at team stores and selling a pink Chargers hat, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
San Francisco 49ers -- The 49ers were gold sponsors for the local Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure event for the 10th year.
Seattle Seahawks -- Coach Mike Holmgren will wear a pink ribbon on the sideline throughout the month, a tradition he began following his wife Kathy's diagnosis in 2001. In addition, the Seahawks will recognize their long-standing partnership with the Puget Sound affiliate of Susan G. Komen Foundation on Oct. 12.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- On Oct. 12, 25 breast cancer survivors will lead the team out of the tunnel on game day and 40,000 pink ribbons will be distributed by members of ZTA to fans at all gates and entrances.
Tennessee Titans -- The Titans will work with ZTA and Susan G. Komen volunteers to pass out pink ribbons at the Oct. 27 game and promote breast cancer awareness month in-stadium on the jumbotron.
Washington Redskins -- The Redskins will celebrate the tenth anniversary of the ZTA Think Pink initiative at their Oct. 12 game. After this year's event, the Redskins will have given to fans nearly a quarter million ribbons.
