what is the c patch on nfl jerseys

In the NFL, players who have been named team captains wear a "C" patch on their jerseys. The patch is in the teams colors and is worn on the front left or right breast, depending on other patches worn by the specific team. The number of gold stars on the patch represents the number of years that player has been named captain by a team. If a player has been named captain for longer than four years, the "C" on the patch is gold. The decision to wear or not wear patches can come from the coach or a team vote. Some teams, such as the Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots, do not use the patch on their jerseys but still designate captains.