Hall to Join NFL, American Cancer Society in Annual Awareness Campaign

On Thursday evening, the Rotunda dome and building canopy of the Pro Football Hall of Fame were lighted in pink for the first of 31 nights as part of the nation’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month and a broader league-wide initiative.

The Hall has been using pink exterior lighting each October since 2012.

The National Football League and the American Cancer Society are working together for the 12^th consecutive season to support the fight against multiple types of cancer through “Crucial Catch: Intercept Cancer.” The initiative kicked off at MetLife Stadium as the Denver Broncos visited the New York Jets in “Thursday Night Football.”

Continuing through Week 6 games, “Crucial Catch: Intercept Cancer” addresses early detection, getting screened and cancer risk-reduction efforts.

Crucial Catch is part of the League's “It Takes All of Us” brand campaign, which highlights the importance of everyone joining together to make a difference in the lives of others. Its goal: help people catch cancer early, when it may be easier to treat.

In a news release Thursday, the League noted that since March 2020, when many people began taking precautions because of the COVID-19 pandemic, routine cancer screenings have dropped between 86% and 94% for some cancers.

For many forms of cancer (breast, cervical, colorectal and prostate), the five-year survival rate is above 90% when detected early and before it has a chance to spread.

“For the last 12 years, the American Cancer Society and the NFL have together been focused on providing resources and assistance to help ensure that more Americans have access to critical cancer screenings,” said Gary Reedy, CEO of the American Cancer Society. “Having the support and partnership of the NFL and its fans through Crucial Catch will undoubtedly lead to more lives saved.”

All 32 NFL teams will have the option of supporting early detection and risk-reduction efforts for one or multiple cancers in-stadium and in their communities, the League said. In addition, players may wear cleats, shoelaces and wristbands in any color representing the type of cancer awareness they support and/or have been impacted by during their team's Crucial Catch game.

NFL-issued Crucial Catch gameday apparel features a multi-colored logo representing all cancers. New this year, New Era and Nike have created newly designed Crucial Catch gear, highlighting the NFL's commitment to drawing awareness to and supporting multiple cancer prevention efforts.

Fans can purchase NFL-licensed Crucial Catch apparel on NFLShop.com.

Game-worn Crucial Catch merchandise will be auctioned on NFL.com/auction, with all proceeds going to the American Cancer Society.