After the National Football League denied DeAngelo Williams' request to wear pink all season in honor of breast cancer awareness, the Steelers running back found another way to make a statement, dying the tips of his dreadlocks pink and even picking up the tab for 53 mammograms. But retired New York Giants running back Tiki Barber told HuffPost Live he would have liked to see Williams, whose mother and four aunts died of breast cancer, take a different route.
As Barber told host Alex Miranda during a conversation about his fundraising efforts for PitCCh In Foundation, he hoped to see Williams defy the league regulations, as Steelers defensive end Cameron Heyward did by wearing eye black to honor his father, who died of brain cancer. Heyward was fined $5,787 for the first infraction and could face an additional $11,576 fine for wearing it again during Sunday's matchup against the Cardinals, Deadspin reported.
"I'd actually like to see [Williams] just do it. Get the fine and then make the league or the team match the fine and let it go to breast cancer research," Barber said on Friday.
While Barber said he understands that the league must maintain some control to avoid "anarchy" among its players, he thinks the NFL could loosen its grip just a bit.
"This is [an issue] that is near and dear to so many players. My mother had breast cancer. She is a 19-year survivor," Barber said. "We all know that a lot of players go through this issue, and the league recognizes that. And that's why we have breast cancer awareness month with the pink and the National Football League. I don't see anything wrong with extending it. I really don't, because it's something that is not only season-long, but a lifelong issue for a lot of players and a lot of people in this country."
Watch the full HuffPost Live conversation with former NFL running back Tiki Barber here.
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