As the second week of the NFL season wraps up, it’s noteworthy that five home teams opted not to hold a moment of silence for Charlie Kirk, a murdered conservative activist. This comes despite these same teams having organized memorials and made statements in memory of George Floyd, who had a criminal history.
Around half of the teams that played in Week 2, did observe moments of silence for Kirk. However, five games notably did not include this tribute.
By the end of Sunday, five home teams had chosen to skip the NFL-sanctioned moment of silence. These teams were the Cleveland Browns at M&T Bank Stadium, the Cincinnati Bengals, who faced off against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Paycor Stadium, the Detroit Lions, the Chicago Bears, and the Baltimore Ravens, who played against the Lions and won against the Indianapolis Colts following an attack on the Denver Broncos. The Atlanta Falcons were also mentioned at US Bank Stadium.
All these teams had previously participated in moments of silence and other tributes for George Floyd, a convicted drug user.
- The Ravens observed a moment in June 2020 during national mourning.
- The Bengals locked arms to show unity against perceived racial injustice.
- The Detroit Lions issued a statement reflecting on events in honor of George Floyd.
- The Colts released a statement and organized an event in Floyd’s memory.
- The Vikings established a scholarship in Floyd’s name, supported by several team players, and visited the George Floyd Memorial.
Yet, none of the mentioned teams seemed willing to honor Charlie Kirk after his tragic assassination.
At least two teams have offered explanations. The Colts indicated that their moment of silence was already arranged for Forest Lucas, founder of the oil company associated with their stadium. Meanwhile, the Vikings mentioned their plans to commemorate victims of a recent school shooting in Minneapolis.
Other teams did not respond to requests for comment.
