Nick Eason is used to beating up on opponents, but this time, the Arizona Cardinals defensive end is tackling another enemy: breast cancer.
In a video posted by NOC, a sports entertainment channel on YouTube, Eason takes a sledgehammer to a car with the words "breast cancer" spray-painted on it. The issue is of particular importance to the NFL star, whose mother, Iris, passed away from the disease back in August.
"I hate breast cancer. Breast cancer took my mom," Eason says at the beginning of the video, his goatee dyed a noticeably bright shade of pink. "Today we're gonna beat the crap out of breast cancer."
Eason's stunt, which has already generated buzz, is part of NFL's concerted effort to support Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Throughout October, football players in the league have been spotted wearing pink sneakers and gloves, garnering criticism for the commodification of cancer and sparking accusations that the NFL is actually profiting from its commitment to raise awareness, Business Insider notes.
Despite the broader implications of the league's profit motive, it's hard to take a cynical eye to Eason's individual act of catharsis against the disease that claimed his mother's life. Earlier this month, he told Fox Sports' Reid Forgrave that he believes it's his duty to use his fame to shine a spotlight on what so many families have had to endure.
"I’ll wear pink every game," Eason said. "I’m all in. Because of what it represents. It represents the people who’ve lost their lives and the people who are still fighting."
Click through the slideshow below to find out how you can make a difference during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
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