Several Dolphins players yesterday took part in the NFL's "My Cause My Cleats" initiative for their game against the Ravens, but the cleats seemed to be "having an impact on many players’ on-field performance," according to Ryan DiPentima of the PALM BEACH POST. WR Jarvis Landry's cleats, "along with poor field conditions, seemed to have an effect on his ability to keep his footing while making cuts."Landry "slipped several times," which led him to "change cleats after the first quarter." Dolphins WR Jakeem Grant "also slipped and fell while returning a kick," forcing the Dolphins to "start a drive with poor field position" (PALM BEACH POST, 12/5). In Miami, Adam Beasley notes Dolphins players "slipped at least five times." Beasley: "But was it the field, or was it the designer cleats the league permitted players to wear in support of causes special to them?" Landry changed his shoes "but did not say why." Beasley notes at least 15 Dolphins "wore the specialty cleats, supporting causes such as race relations and social progress, cystic fibrosis and autism" (MIAMI HERALD, 12/5).
FOR A GOOD CAUSE: In Boston, Nora Princiotti noted Patriots LB Dont'a Hightower wore red cleats "adorned with the American Diabetes Association logo." Hightower’s mother was "diagnosed with the disease two years ago." Meanwhile, Patriots CB Logan Ryan wore white cleats "featuring a rainbow design and the likeness of his rescued pit bull, Leo, to support his Ryan’s Monthly Rescue project for shelter dogs." DE Chris Long wore "blue and white cleats with the logo of his Waterboys foundation, which provides clean water to East Africa" (BOSTON GLOBE, 12/4). USA TODAY writes of the initiative, "Tip of the helmet to the players. Our favorite was Raiders owner Mark Davis wearing purple Chucks to raise domestic violence awareness" (USA TODAY, 12/5).
IT WAS ALL A DREAM: NFL Exec VP/Football Operations Troy Vincent today on Facebook notes the idea for the initiative "started last year" when a group of players and their spouses, including Jets WR Brandon Marshall, Giants RB Rashad Jennings and others met with Commissioner Roger Goodell to "propose a way to highlight the charitable work" of the league's players. Vincent noted more than 600 players have or are participating in the initiative this week and are "real life demonstrations of good will and the impact of bringing people together" (FACEBOOK.com, 12/5).
LONG TIME COMING: THE MMQB's Peter King writes the NFL "dropping its autocratic fine system to allow players to promote charities and causes they love" for one week is "long overdue." The NFL has traditionally raised money to fight breast cancer throughout October, but it has "been like enforced charity, with the players as pink billboards for a month." The Patriots' Long said, "It’s long overdue. Anytime we can get in front of a new audience, it’s helpful, because you never know how many people will say -- or maybe even one wealthy person -- ‘I really want to help. That’s a great idea'" (MMQB.SI.com, 12/5). L.A.-based shoe artist Kickasso, whose company finished more than 70 pairs of cleats over a six-day period, said the NFL's rules on cleats "might change next year because we're kind of pushing the envelope a lot with our pregame cleats" ("Sunday NFL Countdown," ESPN, 12/4). ESPN's Mike Golic said, "Like anything else, you got to be careful, you don't want to do it too many times, but I thought it was a very cool thing." ESPN's Mike Greenberg: "In the old days, the only time these guys would really ever be seen was on the game telecast. Now if they wear the cleats they want to in pregame warmups, which so many players do, that stuff will get out there" ("Mike & Mike," ESPN Radio, 12/5).
TWITTER REAX: NASCAR driver Joey Logano wrote the program is "cool. Awesome to hear about the charities they support." Former NFL coach Dave Campo: "Players going to hospitals, NFL allowing causes on cleats, puts me in the Christmas spirit even more. Helping people is a blessing to all." NJ.com'sEliot Shorr-Parks: "Dorial Green-Beckham is wearing Yeezy cleats today for, in his words, the 'Yeezy Foundation.' Talk about #CleatsForACause." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac: "NFL hypocrisy at work: Players allowed to wear custom cleats this week for charity. @AntonioBrown wore custom cleats and got fined twice."
