A good PR move for the NFL

We all know it's Breast Cancer Awareness Month. And any NFL fan who wasn't aware might well have become familiar with the designation in the past few seasons because of the addition of pink to uniforms across the league during October.

However, on October 7, Indianapolis Colts player Reggie Wayne chose to don an orange mouthpiece and orange gloves in support of leukemia awareness instead of the pink worn by other players.

Colts head coach Chuck Pagano's battle with leukemia became public shortly before the Colts - Packers game that week and Wayne took up the orange to support the coach.

The NFL has a reputation for being sticklers for proper uniform wear, but in a good move for the organization, they chose not to fine Wayne for his adoption of orange.

Wayne did not completely ignore the traditional pink - he did wear pink on other parts of his uniform. But I think it's fantastic that he chose to wear orange, even if it went against the NFL's uniform policy.

The pink sported throughout the league in October is great, but it is a sponsored campaign and perhaps just a part of the everyday drill in that month for players without an immediate connection to the disease.

By donning orange for leukemia awareness on October 7, Wayne was making a personal connection with the disease. While pink is immediately identifiable with breast cancer, most of the other cancer colors are only known to those who have a connection to the affliction (my dad is currently fighting Hodgkin's lymphoma, the color of which is purple - I had no idea until he was diagnosed).

So, kudos to the NFL for choosing not to fine Wayne for this move. While Wayne was fully prepared to pay a fine if one was levied against him, if the NFL had chosen to punish him for the move, I think the outcry would have been great.

Since the NFL has already dealt with a lot of negative media relations following the replacement referee fiasco, I don't think they want to continue with any more bad press.

And, kudos to Wayne for continuing to wear the orange in support of his coach in successive games. It is a great community relations move, showing the bond between player and coach and perhaps making them seem more human to fans.

No doubt those afflicted with or impacted by leukemia appreciate it.