Most NFL Home Teams Pay Homage to Charlie Kirk After Assassination

Most NFL home teams have paid tribute to or held a moment of silence for conservative influencer Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated last week.

Starting on Sept. 11 during the “Thursday Night Football” game between the Green Bay Packers and Washington Commanders, Green Bay and the league itself held a moment of silence for Kirk, who was shot and killed a day prior.

“There have been a variety of moments of silence and tributes in-stadium and on-air in all games or a game immediately following events that rise to a national level,” the NFL said in a statement, referring to the league’s moment of silence held during the Packers’ home game.

“Clubs also often hold moments following a tragic event that affects their community.

“There have been moments following school shootings or an attack on a house of worship such as the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh in 2018. There also have been moments following major international incidents such as Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023 and weather-related incidents such as major hurricanes and fires.”

The Epoch Times contacted the NFL for comment but did not hear back by publication time.

Teams That Chose to Honor Kirk

According to a statement from the White House on Sept. 14, the New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints, Miami Dolphins, Tennessee Titans, Kansas City Chiefs, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Arizona Cardinals held moments of silence for or provided a special recognition of Kirk on Sept. 14.

An Epoch Times review of game footage and videos that were uploaded to social media showed that the Tennessee Titans included a photo of Kirk with his family on the jumbotron for a moment of silence on Sept. 14 during the team’s home game against the Los Angeles Rams.

At the Chiefs game, a moment of silence was held for the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, for victims of a shooting in Colorado, and for Kirk.

The Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees baseball teams also paid tribute, and NASCAR and the UFC did the same, according to the White House.

“These tributes reflect the widespread admiration for Kirk’s dedication to inspiring the next generation of American Patriots,” the White House said in the statement. “We commend these organizations for honoring a figure who championed the values that unite us all, and we join the nation in celebrating his legacy.”

Two more NFL games will be played this week. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are visiting the Houston Texans, and the Los Angeles Chargers are heading to Las Vegas to play the Raiders on Monday night.

Kirk founded Turning Point USA to bring more young, conservative evangelical Christians into politics as effective influencers, and he was a confidant of President Donald Trump, leading to a flood of tributes that included a vigil on the night of Sept. 14 at the Kennedy Center in Washington. Kirk, a 31-year-old father of two, became prominent in part through his speaking tours and debates on college campuses. He was shot on Sept. 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University.

Details on Suspect

On Sept. 14, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox told NBC’s “Meet the Press” that Kirk’s suspected killer, Tyler Robinson, “clearly” had a “leftist ideology,” citing interviews with Robinson’s relatives and acquaintances.

“Friends have confirmed that there was kind of that deep, dark internet, the Reddit culture, and these other dark places of the internet where this person was going deep,” Cox said.

The governor pointed to references found engraved on the ammunition used to kill Kirk, which included anti-fascist and meme-culture language.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.