While the NFL world was discussing domestic abuse and child abuse on Tuesday (as it should), a few of the Detroit Lions used their day off making community appearances.

— Golden Tate and James Ihedigbo went to Gilda’s Club in Royal Oak and tried their hands at sewing heart-shaped pillows for breast cancer surgical patients.

@ShowtimeTate Tweeted: "Yep.. I can add something else to the list of things I can do now. Had fun making pillows today at the…"

(Story on how Sabrina Mayhew, a breast cancer survivor and wife of GM Martin Mayhew, started the heart pillow campaign.)

— Stephen Tulloch one was of several Lions participating, along with Larry Warford and Jordan Thompson, in Meet Up and Eat up at the Eastern Market in Detroit.

— Calvin Johnson helped out with jump rope at the Eastern Market.

— While Matthew Stafford showed off his four-square footwork at the same event. 

This is not unusual. Across the NFL players find time to give back on their one day off each week. Sometimes it’s a good idea to remember. Perhaps one of those times is now.

(Contact @PaulaPasche on Twitter. Email her at Paula.Pasche@oakpress.com.)