That's really, really cool. Probably the first of these kinds of NFL promotions that I think makes sense.

Agreed, also cool that he is assigning each a player a patch based on their personality. Very cool.

I believe that this is could be the coolest thing the league has done in a while. Could be one of those things that happens next year during November

Yeah it doesnt get better than that.

Is this an NFL promotion, or is it Villanueva doing it on his own? The article seemed to insinuate that Vllanueva was taking the initiative on his own, unless I misread something.

And if he IS doing this on his own...does the NFL dare fine him and the team for uniform violations?

Oh God, the fallout from the NFL doing that would be spectacular!

Coolest fucking thing ever!

Absolutely love it!

Love it.

Hope we learn of what players got what patch.

Welp...cant lose now. How can you justify playing like shit with those patches on your helmet?

Cool gesture but this is where I am at. Also, as if we need more evidence that the NFL is a complete mess, Wilson almost gets his head knocked off then comes right back into the game last night. LOL

Great idea!
Wow Big 'Al' dwarfs Gilbert!

This unit is disbanded but it would be cool if one of the players could wear this:




551st Parachute Infantry Battalion

Smith-Schuster. Looks like a 7th Infantry decal. Perhaps one of our esteemed military posters knows for sure what it signifies.

I was wondering this myself. Are they allowed to do this, or are they going to get fined?

Why is this "cool"?

The US Army's budget is bigger than the TOTAL defense budget of the next 2 countries combined (China, Russia). Again, this is China AND Russia's TOTAL defense budget...their Army, Navy, Air Force, Computer Hackers and whatever form of the Marines they possess (no idea those fuckwad black beret Spetsnaz still exist like back in the day...).

Does our Army really need "decals" for added support? Seems they better be fucking cool as they cost us...THE US TAXPAYER....wait for it...

$250,000,000,000 (250 BILLION) A YEAR.

Really...you're pumped up about...decals?

If you take offense to this...if you are angry...let me simply ask you this. Why d you feel an organization with over a million soldiers and a budget of $250,000,000,000 a year? needs "decals" for added support? That's a lot of zeros for an organization that is under no threat of budget cuts...an organization that gets a bigger budget year after year...an organization that is too big and too important to fail.

Now if the decals represented the thousands of patriotic volunteer female soldiers sexually harassed or raped per year in the Army...and the retaliation they face when reporting rape...that I could get behind.

Otherwise it is not like the Army is an underprivileged group or non-profit needing of money and sympathy. They are badass and over-engineered for the enemies they face. Everyone thanks them for their service. Society thanks them plenty. But few give a shit about them when their service is DONE.

I'd vote to quadruple the budget for services for our vets NOW and gladly pay for it by increasing my tax burden NOW. THAT WOULD BE COOL.

But decals? Really? Worn by over-privileged athletes? This is necessary? This is meaningful? This is useful? This is cool?

A lot of precious tax dollars pays for our Army. As my DI said, the Marines thank me twice a month. Imagine telling your DI...Marine or Army... that we'll wear "decals" for their service?

Decals...worn by 20-something jocks. Seems forced...politically correct...or worse...meaningless, zombie patriotism..

Feel free to shoot me fellas...you know I could give a flying fuck...but at least your amusing insults take a minuscule bit of intellect...unlike superfluous "decals".

It's just a Villanueva thing he's doing to celebrate Veterans' Day-- which by the way is Armistice Day, a day that celebrates peace. I think sharing the spirit of camaraderie with his teammates is perfectly acceptable and encouraged. That he made it personalized for each teammate is excellent.

From the article it is a Villanueva/Army thing. The Army gave him the decals for the helmets

Amazed the NFL is ok w it. In this ridiculous PC world we live in there is without a doubt someone or some group that will be offended.

Remember when Dallas was not allowed to pay tribute to the fallen police officers?

From the article it is a Villanueva/Army thing. The Army gave him the decals for the helmets[/quote]

Amazed the NFL is ok w it. In this ridiculous PC world we live in there is without a doubt someone or some group that will be offended.

Remember when Dallas was not allowed to pay tribute to the fallen police officers?[/quote]

Alert: posters who hate America please don't continue


Goodell & the league office would have likely stopped this even if it required a judge's cease and desist. With the media disseminating this must have at least tacit approval from the NFL office and this gives the Steeler brand an opportunity to reimage with the millions of people who were disgusted when they failed to honor the anthem. More than that it honors the military and America's true heroes.

The dispute between ownerships and the threats that are flying back and forth include a list of egregious errors made by Goodell handling the League's image and denying the Cowboys their request to honor those murdered police officers is on that list. From the perspective of the owners who want Goodell long gone he has hurt the image of the league. That POV list of grievances against Goodell includes the fans embraced the Steelers and the Packers and the Dolphins and the Cowboys of old because they honestly earned it on the field and there was no begrudging their repeats. Just the opposite the fans looked forward to the collision of those dynastic teams because the final product was going to be great football on the field. Earned and respected dynasties and championships. Goodell did nothing to stop a certain Dynasty who many suspected did not win their championships exclusively on the field. Fans saw through the deception and got leery of seeing that same team win repeat championships.

The divide between owners is wider than ever. Threats are flying.

Glad you posted this.

Let’s not go go overboard on the superlatives describing this. It’s a nice gesture and is obviously deeply meaningful to Villy. But this is an utterly insignificant, meaningless gesture most likely allowed due to the PR nightmare the NFL and Steelers have been facing due to the Anthem Protests.

Praising the military has become more of a fashionable, superficial act that rings hollow lately.

I agree completely. It is now political correctness to honor the military by standing for the anthem and politically incorrect to fail to do so. God help you if you do not honor the troops in precisely this way: by standing for the anthem. You'll get savaged if you do not. So now the Steelers, due to political correctness, are being forced to wear decals by the league or one of their own players. Also, can you imagine the fallout in the locker room if one of the players refused to wear the decal? PC run amok. It's ruining our lives.



Am I being sarcastic? Even I don't know!

Go Steelers!

The present day corporate NFL marketing strategies are nauseating to me. In all forms.

Can we just enjoy football?

I want black, gold, and road white along with the players names and numbers and the Steelers logo on the uniform. Authentic throwbacks are ok (love the bumblebee). I don't want pink or any non Steelers color mixed in. Ever.

Can we just enjoy football?

But this isn't an NFL marketing strategy... this is genuine, from a player to his teammates, which is why I thought it worth praising.

I understand. But if the NFL goes along with it...

I know this is very unpopular among many, but I don't want an Army decal or anything not part of the Steelers uniform on the Steelers uniform. I refer to my post. The uniform includes the helmet.

I'm a bitter man

Get off my lawn

Best thing would be if the NFL said we will fine you if you wear that patch. Then the Steelers to a man did it anyway and paid the fine. Where does the disrespecting veteran angle go from there? Away.

Right now I'm just enjoying the fact that Big Al came up with something so f-ing cool and I am sure that someone in the league office is beside themselves because they didn't think of it first.