Four Titans players plan to "wear custom cleats to promote charities during their game against the Broncos on Sunday at Nissan Stadium, after the NFL allowed players to do so during a league-wide 'My Cause, My Cleats' promotion last week," according to Jason Wolf of the Nashville TENNESSEAN. The Titans and Browns "missed out" on the league's Week 13 initiative because they were on a bye. Players yesterday were "unsure about whether they’d be fined by the league." But the NFL said that they are "allowed to participate" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 12/6). ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky noted the Titans "initially were not granted permission to wear their individualized shoes beyond warm-ups Sunday." But later yesterday, NFL Senior VP/Communications Natalie Ravitz said that the league had "reversed course." At least two Titans, CB Jason McCourty and TE Delanie Walker, "planned to wear their special cleats anyway." Even though players are "now allowed to wear specialty cleats, some players may not have gone through the process of getting them made because of the league's initial stance." Now, it "may be too late for them" (ESPN.com, 12/5).
LESSON LEARNED? ESPN’s Mike Golic said of the NFL initially not allowing the Browns and Titans participate in the promotion, “The league still found a way to make themselves look bad. ... Somebody made a mistake and unfortunately it’s been a list of things for them PR-wise. So that makes it look even worse than if it were a singular mistake.” Golic: “They don’t have the greatest rep right now and it looked horrible. ... Unfortunately for them it’s just another zinger” (“Mike & Mike,” ESPN Radio, 12/6). ESPN’s Ryan Clark said, “If you take one week, the whole league should have an opportunity to participate. Even though Cleveland is not winning games, there are a lot of guys on that team that do great things for the community.” ESPN's Tim Hasselbeck: "Do it when two teams aren't on their bye week, how about that? I hate to rain on the parade, but if you do it every year, do it when everyone's playing” (“NFL Live,” ESPN, 12/5).
