Believe It Or Not The NFL Is Letting The Saints Wear An Honorary Will Smith Helmet Decal This Season

PFT- The New Orleans Saints lost a key member of the family earlier this year, when former defensive end Will Smith was shot and killed. The team will remember him in a significant way this season.

The Saints have announced that a decal bearing Smith’s number and name will be attached to the helmet of every player.


To be honest, I don't really see how this differs from any of the other subtle, commemorative uniform adjustments that teams have had shot down by the NFL in the past. To be even more honest, I don't really care. Will Smith meant enough to the franchise that will don his number on the back of their helmets to be the exception to what has proven - ad nauseam - to a be an absolutely ludicrous rule. I am assuming this has been green lighted because it's impossible to find something wrong with a sticker that honors a fallen peer, whereas a salute to law enforcement could send mixed messages to a league predominantly composed of African Americans that may or may not feel slighted by that very same group of people. Whatever, I don't want to make anything more of this than what  it is, and it is a well deserved gesture to a fallen man - and the family that survives him - that was taken from us to soon. Will Smith's presence on the field and in the community is something that every player suiting up for the Saints this season should keep in the back of their minds and the bottom of their hearts. I'm glad that all they'll have to do is catch a glance at the back of any one of their helmets to do so, because - while he'll never be forgotten - he was far too important to the franchise (and the most important people in it) to be gone without recognition.