Latest news with #ItTakesAllofUs
Time of India
2 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
NFL's social justice campaign enters sixth year with refreshed messaging
For the sixth straight season, the NFL will feature on-field social justice messages at all games. Each of the league's 32 teams will display one of four approved slogans - 'End Racism', 'Stop Hate', 'Choose Love' or 'Inspire Change' - in one end zone during home games. The opposite end zone will read ' It Takes All of Us ' at every game. The only change from 2024 is that 'Inspire Change' replaces 'Vote.' International games will continue to feature 'End Racism' and 'It Takes All of Us' in the back of both end zones. These messages are part of the league's broader cause campaigns, including Salute to Service and Crucial Catch, which will appear during select weeks. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Sleep Apnea Ruined My Life – Then I Found This Simple Trick Health Insight Undo Talking to The The Associated Press, Anna Isaacson , the NFL's senior vice president of social responsibility, emphasised the league's commitment to amplifying player voices and fostering unity, noting that football has long brought people from diverse backgrounds together to enjoy America's most popular sport. The defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles will open the season on September 4 against the Dallas Cowboys with 'Choose Love' in their end zone. They will rotate all four messages during the season. Live Events 'Choose Love,' introduced in 2022, gained prominence after the Buffalo supermarket shooting that killed 10 people and has since been widely embraced as a message of healing and hope. Players will again be allowed to display one of five messages - including 'It Takes All of Us' - on helmet decals. Since launching the Inspire Change initiative in 2017, the NFL has contributed over $460 million to grant partners and grassroots organisations. The league views these combined on-field and off-field efforts as a serious responsibility to promote unity and drive positive community impact.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
NFL to continue social justice messaging stencils in end zones for 2025 season
The NFL's social justice messaging is here to stay. For the sixth straight season, all 32 teams will display one of four social justice messages in the end zone at each home game. Teams can pick from "End Racism," "Stop Hate," "Choose Love" or "Inspire Change," which is a new addition that replaces the "Vote" stencil from 2024. Those messages will appear at one end zone, while "It Takes All of Us" continues to be stenciled at the other. "We're working hand-in-hand with players, and alongside our clubs, to amplify player voices and underscore what is most important to them," Anna Isaacson, the NFL's senior vice president of social responsibility, told The Associated Press. "For decades, the NFL and its players have been a unifying force in American culture and society that brings people of all cultures and backgrounds together to enjoy America's most popular sport. "This is an honor and responsibility that the league takes seriously, which is why we actively invest in off-field programs and on-field initiatives that promote unity." All international games will feature "End Racism" and "It Takes All of Us" in the end zones. The Philadelphia Eagles have selected "Choose Love" as their season-opener message on Sept. 4 against the Dallas Cowboys and will rotate all four messages throughout the season. Once again, players can choose to feature one of the five messages on their helmets. According to the AP, the NFL has provided more than $460 million to dozens of grant partners and hundreds of grassroots organizations through its Inspire Change initiative, benefiting communities in need since 2017. The Inspire Change initiative has supported over 650 nonprofits and 2,100 players and alums, providing matching grants focused on mentorship, workforce development and addressing food insecurity.
USA Today
06-02-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
President Trump to attend Super Bowl 59, despite long and complicated history with the NFL
Hear this story President Donald Trump's appearance at Sunday's Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans will go down in history as the first sitting commander-in-chief to attend the National Football League's title game, in which the Kansas City Chiefs will go for an unprecedented 'three-peat' against the Philadelphia isn't historic is his on-again/off-again decades-long feud with the NFL and its players since the 1980s. While Trump and the NFL seem to be on the same page now, their relationship has been rocky over the decades. Here is a breakdown of Trump's long and complicated history with the league. Trump, the NFL and DEI Trump will attend the big game on Sunday following the NFL's recent decision to remove the 'End Racism' message from the end zones for the first time since 2021. Instead, the league will use phrases like 'Choose Love' and 'It Takes All of Us.' NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told USA TODAY Sports that the change is in response to deadly tragedies throughout the U.S. so far this year. The NFL's phrase change comes after Trump signed an executive order last month 'terminating radical DEI' to 'protect the civil rights of all Americans and expand individual opportunity,' according to the White House. NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs consist of a range of policies aimed at rooting out bias in hiring and opening career opportunities for people of color, women and members of the LGBTQ community. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell defended the league's current diversity policies, saying on Monday that they didn't conflict with Trump's administration's efforts to ban DEI programs in the federal government. 'Our policies have been designed to be well within the law, well within the practice,' Goodell said on Monday. 'There are no quotas in our system. This is about opening that funnel and bringing the best talent into the NFL.' Donald Trump criticized NFL players over national anthem protests When former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began a controversial social movement by kneeling during the national anthem before games, other NFL players followed suit, causing an outcry from Trump and several conservatives. Kaepernick said he was protesting racial inequality and the oppression of Black people in the U.S. In September 2017, during Trump's initial term, he made a speech in Alabama criticizing the NFL players who were kneeling during the anthem. 'Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, 'Get that son of a (expletive) off the field right now? Out! He's fired. He's fired!'' Trump said at a rally for former Republican Sen. Luther Strange of Alabama. During his speech, Trump also attributed the NFL's dip in ratings at the time to several rule changes that were implemented to make the game less violent and limit concussions and other head injuries. 'The NFL ratings are down massively,' Trump said. 'Now the No. 1 reason happens to be they like watching what's happening … with yours truly. They like what's happening because, you know today, if you hit too hard, 15 yards! Throw him out of the game!' Donald Trump tried to purchase the Buffalo Bills in 2014 Trump tried to buy the Buffalo Bills football team in 2014, but he may not have even had the funds to do so at the time, the president's former attorney, Michael Cohen, testified in 2019 before the House Oversight Committee. Cohen said Trump inflated his net worth by $4 billion in financial documents, raising it from $4.26 billion to $8.66 billion from 2011 to 2013. 'Mr. Trump is a cheat,' Cohen said. 'It was my experience that Mr. Trump inflated his total assets when it served his purposes, such as trying to be listed among the wealthiest people in Forbes, and deflated his assets to reduce his real estate taxes.' After Cohen's testimony in 2019, Trump described his former attorney's words as "shameful" and accused him of lying frequently. Ultimately, Trump was outbid by Terry Pegula, a billionaire businessman and petroleum engineer, and his wife, Kim. The Pegulas' $1.4 billion bid beat out Trump's and a group led by singer Jon Bon Jovi. NFL players receive backlash for supporting Trump, MAGA Several NFL players who have openly supported Trump and his MAGA (Make America Great Again) campaign have received backlash over the years, including San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa. Bosa disregarded the NFL's rule against wearing or messaging political slogans when he crashed an NBC postgame interview last year and pointed to his 'Make America Great Again' cap. The NFL fined Bosa $11,255 for violating the uniform and equipment rules policy by 'wearing a hat that contained a personal message.' According to NFL rules: 'Throughout the period on game-day that a player is visible to the stadium and television audience (including in pregame warm-ups, in the bench area, and during postgame interviews in the locker room or on the field), players are prohibited from wearing, displaying, or otherwise conveying personal messages either in writing or illustration, unless such message has been approved in advance by the League office.' In response to the fine, Bosa, who agreed to a five-year $170 million contract extension in September 2023 with the 49ers, said: 'It was well worth it,' the Associated Press reported. Other former and current NFL players and owners have supported Trump's presidency over the years, including his longtime friend Herschel Walker, now-retired NFL quarterback Tom Brady, former NFL offensive lineman Richie Incognito, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, former NFL head coach Rex Ryan, legendary New York Jets center Nick Mangold, former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown, former NFL quarterback Brett Favre and former NFL coach Mike Ditka. Donald Trump's dance takes the NFL by storm Throughout Trump's second presidential campaign, he often did a dance that became quite popular among NFL players. Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers, Nick Bosa, Detroit Lions defenders Za'Darius Smith and Malcolm Rodriguez, and Tennessee Titans pass catchers Calvin Ridley and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine were all spotted doing the Trump dance during the 2024-25 season. 'I've seen everyone do it,' Bowers told USA TODAY Sports in November. 'I watched the UFC fight [Saturday] night, and Jon Jones did it. I like watching UFC, so I saw it and thought it was cool.' The dance is simple: It involves bending one's elbows, closing one's fists, and moving one's arms back and forth, as Trump did during his campaign rallies. Head-tilting and facial expressions can be added for some extra oomph. Aside from Bosa, the other players who did the Trump dance did not openly support Trump. The president did shout out to Bosa for his performance of the dance in a Truth Social post in November, calling him 'A GREAT PLAYER!' 'I think you know the answer to that question,' Bosa told the San Francisco Chronicle in November about his inspiration for the Trump dance. 'All the guys wanted me to do it. I wasn't even going to do it, but the boys reminded me. And it was fun.' Donald Trump led USFL's anti-trust lawsuit against NFL In the mid-1980s, Trump spent less than $10 million to become the owner of the New Jersey Generals in the United States Football League (USFL), CNBC reported. 'I don't know about the rest of you people, and I don't know how much money you guys have, but I have the money to get into the NFL. And that's where I plan on being,' Trump told his fellow USFL owners at a meeting in 1984, the outlet said, citing the book 'Football for a Buck: The Crazy Rise and Crazier Demise of the USFL.' Instead, Trump spent $6 million in 1983 to buy New Jersey Generals as part of the new United States Football League and led a lawsuit against the NFL to attempt to force a merger. According to ESPN, it was 'widely considered' Trump's strategy for the league that led to its demise in 1985. Contributing: Safid Deen, Jarrett Bell, Lorenzo Reyes, Mark Giannotto, Joey Garrison, Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz/ USA TODAY
CBS News
05-02-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
For Super Bowl, NFL scrapping "End Racism" end zone stencil in favor of "Choose Love"
New Orleans — The NFL is stenciling "Choose Love" in the back of one of the end zones at the Superdome for the Super Bowl on Sunday in what the league says is an effort to encourage the country after a series of tragedies over the first six weeks of the year. It's not using "End Racism" for the first time since the NFL began using Super Bowl end zone stencils five years ago. "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," league spokesman Brian McCarthy said. "'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." "It Takes All of Us" will be stenciled in the other end zone as it's been since the league began using field stencils in 2020 for the NFL's Inspire Change initiative. Teams this season have selected "Vote," "End Racism," "Stop Hate," or "Choose Love" for the other end zone. The two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs used "Choose Love" in the AFC title game against Buffalo. The Philadelphia Eagles selected "End Racism" in the NFC championship game. President Trump is scheduled to attend the game when the Chiefs seek to become the first team in NFL history to three-peat during the Super Bowl era. Two people familiar with the league's thinking shot down the notion that Mr. Trump's presence is the reason "End Racism" isn't being stenciled in an end zone. Both people spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss the topic. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Monday he doesn't believe the league's policies to promote diversity are in conflict with the Trump administration's efforts to ban diversity, equity and inclusion programs in the federal government. The NFL has rules in place that require teams to interview diverse candidates for key coaching and front office positions as part of the "Rooney Rule" that's been in place for more than two decades. Several NFL owners contributed to the Trump campaign or conservative causes during the 2024 election cycle. "Our owners participate in everything that we do," Goodell said. "Our policies have been designed to be well within the law, well within the practice. There are no quotas in our system. This is about opening that funnel and bringing the best talent into the NFL. "We also believe we are doing the right thing for the NFL and our policies are consistent with the current administration as well as the last administration."
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
NFL Removes ‘End Racism' From Super Bowl Field Amid Trump's War on DEI
For the first time since February 2021, the 'End Racism' message stencil will not appear across the end zone of the Super Bowl. Instead, 'Choose Love' will be featured along the back of one of the end zones at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans for Super Bowl LIX on Sunday. The other end zone will display 'It Takes All of Us,' as it has since the NFL began incorporating field stencils for the league's Inspire Change initiative in 2020. More from Rolling Stone Trump: 'The U.S. Will Take Over the Gaza Strip ... We Will Own It' How to Score Last-Minute Super Bowl 2025 Tickets Online Philadelphia Eagles Merch Is Flying Off Shelves Ahead of the Super Bowl - Here Are Our Top Picks '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,' NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy said in a statement, per ESPN. ''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.' President Donald Trump is expected to attend Sunday's game, a White House official told CNN, which will make him the first sitting US president to attend a Super Bowl. The news of the NFL nixing the 'End Racism' stencil from this year's Super Bowl comes amid Trump's war against against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs within the federal government. One of Trump's first acts in his second term as president was to sign an executive order shutting down federal DEI policies and encouraging the private sector to end' what the order claims is 'illegal DEI discrimination and preferences.' Major corporations have begun to rollback their DEI initiatives in response to conservative backlash and lawsuits from right-wing groups — despite vowing to better support Black and Brown Americans employees and to incorporate more inclusive hiring practices in the aftermath of George Floyd's murder in 2020. Following Trump's victory in the 2024 election against Vice President Kamala Harris, Walmart confirmed that it would not be renewing a racial equity center and would no longer consider race and gender to improve diversity when granting supplier contracts. Following the announcement, Amazon, Meta, McDonald's, and Target joined the stampeded of mega corps retreating from their DEI programs. Meanwhile, others like Apple, Costco and Microsoft have defended their practices and pushed back against the anti-DEI movement. In a statement on Monday, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said that he doesn't think the NFL's initiatives to promote diversity conflict with the Trump administration's efforts to ban DEI. 'Our policies have been designed to be well within the law, well within the practice,' said Goodell. 'There are no quotas in our system. This is about opening that funnel and bringing the best talent into the NFL.' He added: 'We also believe we are doing the right thing for the NFL and our policies are consistent with the current administration as well as the last administration.' Best of Rolling Stone Every Super Bowl Halftime Show, Ranked From Worst to Best The United States of Weed Gaming Levels Up
