NFLPA representative DeMaurice Smith will be in Boston today, as will many others with NFL ties, to attend the funeral of Myra Kraft. As you might remember, Mrs. Kraft passed away earlier in the week after a long fight with cancer. She was the wife of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and was a noted philanthropist. In deference to Mrs. Kraft’s memory and the mourning of her death, the NFLPA tweeted that they are turning off the microphones for the rest of the day and will make no further announcements until tomorrow at the earliest.
While we are all anxious for the NFL to get back to business, this news is another poignant reminder of how pervasive cancer is in our society, how many of our lives have been invaded by it one way or another, and how important our families are, even vis-a-vis the machinery of professional football.