Report: NFL botches breast cancer awareness PSA

The National Football League botched the filming of a breast cancer awareness public service announcement when two players who were scheduled to appear in the spot failed to show up.

The National Football League's image with regard to women took another hit when two players who were scheduled to appear in a public service announcement about breast cancer awareness failed to show up to film the spot, according to a report in the New York Post. 

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and NFL players are allowed to wear pink gear, such as shoes and sweatbands, to raise awareness of the disease. 

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According to the Post report's NFL source, Carolina Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams and New England Patriots wide receiver Danny Amendola were supposed to participate in the shoot on Sept. 16 in New York, but Williams canceled the night before in order to rehab a thigh injury, and representatives for Amendola say he was not contacted about the shoot and isn’t allowed to make mid-season appearances anyway.

Williams lost his mother to breast cancer.

“He would never not show up; his mission is to help [find] a cure for breast cancer,” the source said.

A breast cancer survivor and a television crew waited for nine hours to film a “Crucial Catch” PSA and were left to find replacements when Williams and Amendola did not appear. New York Giants punter Steve Weatherford agreed to do the PSA but was later told that he was not needed, the report says.

An NFL rep told the Post that “We changed the PSA to focus exclusively on the cancer survivor ... We are excited to share the PSA during October.”

- Scooby Axson