NFL Wont Suspend Cameron Heyward For Fathers Cancer Tribute, But Itll Still Cost Him

Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Cameron Heyward won't be suspended, but could face a bigger fine from the NFL after he wore eye black with the message "Iron Head" for the second straight week , according to NBC's ProFootball Talk. 

Heyward was honoring his father Craig "Ironhead" Heyward, who spent 11 years in the NFL. He died in 2006 of bone cancer at the age of 39. 

On Oct. 14, Heyward tweeted that the NFL had fined him for having the same message in a Week 5 game against the Chargers. 

The defensive end was docked $5,787 for the first uniform violation and could be fined $11,576 for a second offense according to ProFootball Talk. Heyward will continue to face that fine as long as he continues to put the message on his eye black. If he continues putting "Iron Head" on it for each of the team's remaining 10 games, the defensive end could be looking at more than $115,000 in total fines.

According to ESPN, in an appeal hearing, the Steelers defensive end plans to point out that then Bengals defensive tackle Devon Still was able to write "Leah Strong" on his eye black numerous times last season without getting fined.

On Monday, Heyward spoke more about his motivation to keep wearing the eye black to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “A lot of people are struggling with cancer and that’s what my message was,” he said. "There are a lot of people out there struggling. In a month when breast cancer is honored I think every type of cancer should be honored as well.” 

The team's last October game is on the 25th against the Kansas City Chiefs.

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