Friday, 15 Nov 2024

NFL approves social justice messages in End Zones and on uniforms – as one NFL star REFUSES to kneel for national anthem – The Sun

THE words "End Racism" and "It Takes All of Us" will soon be emblazoned in NFL end zones.

The agreement to use social justice messaging on NFL fields comes after one Steelers star said he won't kneel for the national anthem.

Defensive end Stephon Tuitt, 27, wrote on Twitter on Monday that he won't be kneeling for the flag – and he could care less about anyone who criticizes him.

"I’m not kneeling for the flag and screw anybody who have a problem with that," he wrote.

"My grandmother was a immigrant from the Caribbean and worked her ass off to bring 20 people over the right way. She had no money and educated herself to be a nurse."

"She living good now," he said.

Although Tuitt said he won't take a knee, his Steelers teammate Cameron Heyward said the whole team would protest in unity.

"I think we want to stay united in what we do and what we want to accomplish," said Heyward during a conference call last month.

"Coach T (Tomlin) always told me that if we win a Super Bowl, that's not enough for the city of Pittsburgh," Heyward continued.

"We want to leave a lasting change on our community as well."

The NFL season will resume in September, and the new end zone messages are part of the "Inspire Change" initiative that allows players to wear helmets emblazoned with the names of victims of racism. "Lift Every Voice and Sing," often considered the black national anthem, will be played before every Week 1 game.

NFL guidelines rule that helmets and uniforms are typically off-limits for messaging.

According to an internal memo sent from NFL Senior Vice President of Social Responsibility Anna Isaacson, the helmet decals are optional, with players being offered a list of names to choose from but they can also "select a victim of systematic racism who is not represented on this list."

Coaches also can wear a hat patch.

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