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Shoe Shine: NFL Players To Wear Customized Cleats For Charitable Causes This Week

More than 500 NFL players will "lace up customized cleats reflecting their charitable causes during Week 13 as part of the league's 'My Cleats, My Cause' campaign," according to Arnie Stapleton of the AP. Afterward, the stylish shoes will be "auctioned to raise money for those charities." This marks the "first time players can wear custom cleats during the game without facing fines." Broncos LB Von Miller will "wear black-and-white cleats flecked with letters from an optometrist's eye chart to highlight Von's Vision, which provides eyeglasses to underprivileged youth." Miller: "Especially in a cookie-cutter league, you've got to wear your uniform a certain way, your socks a certain way, your helmet, gloves, everything a certain way. To have an opportunity to express yourself through your cleats is pretty dope." Miller, who "sports a tattoo on his left arm honoring his longtime sponsor, Adidas, wears custom cleats every week," but he "only wears them during warmups." Steelers WR Antonio Brown's cleats this weekend "highlight Big Brothers, Big Sisters," and Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger is "joining in on the footwear fun to raise awareness for police and fire departments with K-9 units and service dogs." Many players "worked with Nike, Under Armour and Adidas to design the cleats they'll wear in games this weekend," while others "used their own designers." The Giants and Texans "worked with an independent customizer to design cleats for their players." Panthers TE Greg Olsen's cleats will "raise awareness for congenital heart defects by telling the story of his son, T.J., who survived a heart defect as a baby" (AP, 12/2). ESPN's Jim Trotter said, "You get fined for wearing your socks too low or your pants too high. You get penalized for dancing too long or it’s too excessive. But here's an opportunity for the players to go out in pregame and at least show some of their personality" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 12/1).


A WELCOME REPRIEVE: Buccaneers DT Gerald McCoy, who is wearing cleats to support single-parent homes, said that he is "grateful that the league is, at least for one week, allowing players to use their shoes as a way to express themselves." He said, "We don't get a chance to express ourselves a lot. That's why so many fines are going on, a lot of flags going on. We've got handcuffs on. I believe the NFL's put handcuffs on us and not letting us express ourselves." He added, "You don't know what you can and can't do anymore. So for them to give us an opportunity for us to express ourselves this week with our cleats are great" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 12/2).

GOOD CAUSE: Several Dolphins players are taking part in the initiative, including WR Jarvis Landry, who will "wear specialized cleats indicating his support of fighting Cystic Fibrosis." RB Jay Ajayi will wear cleats to raise awareness of MENs Disease, while LB Jelani Jenkins will support the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE). CB Tony Lippett will support Autism Speaks and S Michael Thomas will support the First Step Foundation (PALMBEACHPOST.com, 12/1). Dolphins DT Ndamukong Suh will be "honoring his Jamaican and Cameroonian heritage with his shoes" and supporting his eponymous Family Foundation (MIAMIHERALD.com, 12/1). Buccaneers WR Mike Evans will be "wearing gold cleats" as he "works to fight against racism." His message "goes out in conjunction" with RISE. RISE will "have 10 NFL players wearing special cleats as part of their 'Sideline Racism' efforts this weekend" (TAMPABAY.com, 11/28). Bucs QB Jameis Winston, whose grandmother has diabetes, will "bring attention to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation." Bucs LB Kwon Alexander, whose brother was shot to death last year, will "convey a message about gun violence" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 11/29). The Vikings had "at least 12 players participating," including LB Chad Greenway, who represented his Lead The Way Foundation on "TNF" (STARTRIBUNE.com, 11/30).

MEN OF HONOR: Several Redskins players will wear custom cleats, with QB Kirk Cousins representing Int'l Justice Mission. WR Pierre Garcon will represent the Helping Hands Foundation in Haiti, LB Ryan Kerrigan will represent the Blitz for the Better Foundation, CB Josh Norman will represent the Stars 24 Foundation and DT Chris Baker will represent the Chris Baker 92 Foundation (RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH, 12/1). Cardinals S Tyrann Mathieu and QB Carson Palmer are "joining in the campaign," as Mathieu is "going to wear gold cleats ... that promote racial equality." Palmer will wear red Phoenix Children's Hospital cleats (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 12/2). Texans QB Brock Osweiler will represent Ronald McDonald House. Texans CB A.J. Bouye's late mother's name will be on the side of his cleats, as he is representing brain cancer and the American Cancer Society (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 12/1). Cowboys CB Brandon Carr, a Flint, Mich., native, on Thursday wore cleats that had "Flint Vehicle City" and "Today A Reader, Tomorrow A Leader" on them. Cowboys WR Terrance Williams and FS Byron Jones also wore the cleats "in support of Carr" and the Carr Cares Foundation (MLIVE.com, 11/30). 49ers G Zane Beadles' cleats will "highlight the Zane Beadles Parade Foundation, which benefits children dealing with medical issues such as pediatric cancer" (SACRAMENTO BEE, 12/1).

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