Short answer: NFL coaches are wearing green and other themed apparel as part of league-wide campaigns tied to November initiatives, mainly Salute to Service and Crucial Catch, to honor service members and raise awareness/funding for cancer-related causes. The exact color and gear vary by campaign and year, which is why you’ll see teams on the sidelines in green or rainbow/camo items during different weeks of the season.
Details and context
- Salute to Service: Each November, the NFL promotes a league-wide tribute to military personnel and veterans. Teams often wear camouflage or olive tones, and sideline apparel (hats, hoodies, jackets) may be green or camo to reflect military themes. Proceeds from related merchandise typically support service-member organizations.
- Crucial Catch: The NFL also partners with cancer awareness campaigns, incorporating rainbow colors and tie-dye elements on gear to symbolize the fight against all types of cancer. This campaign stresses early detection and supports cancer-related organizations. The colorful gear, including hats and sideline apparel, is a visible reminder of this cause.
- Year-to-year variation: The precise color schemes and gear can shift from season to season based on the active campaign focus (e.g., more emphasis on Salute to Service during Veterans Day window in early November, or on Crucial Catch during Certain weeks). This explains why you might see green in some years and rainbow or other color patterns in others.
If you’d like, I can pull up the latest specifics for the current season (which campaigns are active now, and what color gear teams are wearing this month) and give examples from recent games.
