If you have ever logged on to Twitter you have seen someone's avatar or avi as it's also known. It's the small profile picture they use, identifying them and in the case of most athletes, showing them in action on the field.

Take a moment now and go to your Twitter account, or if you don't have one you can still log on and find it, and look for Mike Adams, aka @channel75live. You won't see Adams in his Steelers uniform. What you will see, is something that is far more impactful. You will see the Autism Speaks logo. And his cover photo, all blue which is the color that represents Autism Awareness.

Adams changed his avatar as part of Autism Awareness month in April, and has kept it, sharing a significant message just by its presence.

Adams mother, Heidi Davidson, has worked with children and adults with autism and other disabilities as a part of her job with State Department of Developmental Disabilities in Ohio. Through her duties Adams has had the opportunity to spend time around those impacted, and it's touched him.

"I grew up around people with disabilities," said Adams. "I was with her at work and had close relationships with patients, kids my age and older people. I didn't know people had developmental disabilities. They were just sweet people.

"It's something that has been near and dear to me. I have family members who deal with autism. I like to spend a lot of time with them."

While he was at Dublin-Coffman High School, the team's football manager had autism. Adams was close friends with him, always trying to look out for him.

"I used to pick him up and drive him to football every day and take him home," said Adams. "He is a really good friend of mine.

"Something that is rough for me is when people treat people different for something they can't help. I don't think because someone is developmentally disabled you should treat them as any less of a human being. I grew up with a soft spot in my heart for people who don't get treated like everybody else for no reason."

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](https://twitter.com/Channel75live)

And now, he is hoping just changing his avatar can make an impact, even if it's on one person.

"As football players, especially in the NFL, we have a platform," said Adams. "If I can influence one person to research it, look it up, see what it's all about, I think I have done my job to help people be more informed and maybe they reach out to help other people."

The one message Adams hopes his Twitter followers, and everyone else for that matter picks up on, is one of helping others.

"Don't judge a book by it's cover," said Adams. "Everybody is going through something. Everybody is dealing with something and we can all help each other."

How he got his Twitter handle: Adams Twitter handle, @channel75live, came while he was at Ohio State and he wore No. 75.

"I figured my Twitter is like my news. Coming at you live with channel 75."