An open letter to NFL players and coaches:

On Thanksgiving Day, extended families will gather close once again to share a meal. Before and after that meal — and for some families, during — they will watch professional football.

There no doubt will come a moment for these professionals to become unnerved and act rather unprofessionally.

While the TV broadcasts of the games do not transmit the words spoken by players, the words can be determined easily by reading lips, thus creating that awkward moment when viewers know what unbecoming words were spoken.

For some families, it creates a chuckle. For others, it spurs a conversation about behavior of the players or coaches. For others, nothing is said, but the viewer is wishing he or she didn’t see that.

Don’t be that player. Don’t be that coach. Don’t be the person all of America just saw swear on Thanksgiving Day.

Work through your competitive desires but have enough professional character to avoid the curse words. Remember, you are in our living rooms.

Thank you.