NFL kicks off Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October

From coaches' caps to players' cleats and officials' whistles, the NFL went pink on Sunday.

In support of breast cancer awareness, the color will be worn on the field and on the sidelines during games throughout October. The league and its players collaborated with the American Cancer Society for an initiative reminding women 40 and older about the importance of having an annual mammogram.

Country star Martina McBride sang the national anthem flanked by dozens of breast cancer survivors before the Ravens' game in Baltimore on Sunday night against the New York Jets.

Footballs included pink ribbon decals, as did the padding for goal posts, and the color was splashed on fields all around the NFL.

There was a large pink bow in the middle of the field during the national anthem before New England's game at Oakland. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was among many who had pink towels hanging from their waists.

Philadelphia's Michael Vick wore a padded pink glove on his bruised non-throwing right hand in the Eagles' game against San Francisco.

In San Diego, the Chargers had dashes of pink in the "San Diego" and "Chargers" that were painted in the end zones. Chargers nose tackle Antonio Garay took his tribute a step further, having a pink ribbon shaved into the left side of his head.

Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald, a spokesman for the league-wide awareness for women to be regularly tested for the illness, wore pink shoes in the Cardinals' loss to the New York Giants. His mother died of the disease.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press.