Despite NFL commissioner’s Roger Goodell assertions that DEI initiatives will remain a permanent fixture in football, the NFL confirmed that they will remove the slogan “End Racism” from the end zone in Super Bowl LIX.
The timing of this revelation coincides with President Trump’s announcement on Tuesday that he will attend the big game. One cannot help but draw the conclusion that the league is bowing down to an administration, who is not only adamantly against DEI, but also actively working to dismantle it.
Many on social media were critical of the NFL’s decision.
The slogan “End Racism” dates back to a 2020 initiative “Inspire Change,” which was expanded upon the following year. According to the Athletic, the decision to remove it came from “high-level” league employees.
When the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles face off at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans this Sunday, the end zones will instead read “Choose Love” and “It Takes All of Us.” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy did not mention the president in his explanation about the change, instead claiming this was because of the recent tragedies the United States has faced at the beginning of the year.
“The Super Bowl is often a snapshot in time and the NFL is in a unique position to capture and lift the imagination of the country,” McCarthy said in a statement. ” ‘Choose Love’ is appropriate to use as our country has endured in recent weeks wildfires in southern California, the terrorist attack here in New Orleans, the plane and helicopter crash near our nation’s capital and the plane crash in Philadelphia.”
He also noted the AFC championship game did not have the phrase “End Racism” on the field, but the NFC championship game did.
Despite this erasure, Goodell’s words support DEI, saying: “We got into diversity efforts because we felt it was the right thing for the National Football League, and we’re going to continue those efforts because we’ve not only convinced ourselves, I think we’ve proven ourselves that it does make the NFL better,” he explained at a press conference on Monday. “So, we’re not in this because it’s a trend to get in or a trend to get out of it; our efforts are fundamental in trying to attract the best possible talent into the National Football League, both on and off the field.”
Trump’s field trip to the big game will mark the first time a sitting president has attended the event. He appears to be rooting for the Chiefs despite not openly stating so. “There’s a certain quarterback that seems to be a pretty good winner,” he explained, implying that he is a fan of Patrick Mahomes, whose wife Brittany Mahomes is a big supporter of the president. Patrick declined to endorse a presidential candidate, unlike pop superstar Taylor Swift, who openly supported and endorsed Kamala Harris.
Swift will also most likely be in attendance at the Super Bowl as she is dating Patrick’s teammate tight end Travis Kelce. Trump has openly criticized the singer, even posting “I hate Taylor Swift” on Truth Social.
This did not prevent Kelce from expressing his excitement that the president will be watching him play. He was asked for his thoughts about the big attendee at a press conference on Wednesday, saying: “That’s awesome. It’s a great honor. I think you know, no matter who the president is, I know I’m excited because it’s the biggest game of my life, you know, and having the president there — it’s the best country in the world — and that’s pretty cool.”
Perhaps Kelce is too close to the issue to truly see it: The greatest country in the world is one that embraces people of all races, creeds, nationalities, and sexual orientations. One where empathy and diversity are core values. In stark contract, Trump prefers division, fear, and hate. The NFL’s decision seems to favor the latter.
Published: Feb 6, 2025 12:47 pm