News

In a move that speaks volumes without saying a word, the NFL has decided to remove the phrase “End Racism” from the end zones of the Super Bowl field. Instead, they have opted for the seemingly neutral slogan “Choose Love.” But let’s be clear: this is not just a minor aesthetic change. It is a statement. A deliberate shift away from a call to action and toward a vague, feel-good platitude. And in a league where 53% of the players are Black, the implications of that shift are chilling.

For the past few years, “End Racism” stood as a reminder that the fight for racial justice is not over. It was a simple but direct acknowledgment that racism exists and that it must be actively opposed. Now, in an era where corporations and institutions are rapidly rolling back diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, the NFL is signaling its willingness to follow suit. The league is not choosing love; it is choosing silence. It is choosing complacency. It is choosing to soften its stance in a political climate that is increasingly hostile toward racial justice.

What Does This Say to the Players?

Not every player in the NFL is a multi-millionaire. Many are fighting for their careers, playing on short-term contracts, with little job security and even less influence over the league’s messaging. When the NFL embraced the “End Racism” campaign, it was a small but important acknowledgment of the struggles that many Black athletes face, both on and off the field. By removing that message now, the league is telling those players—and the rest of us—that their concerns are no longer a priority.

At the same time, the NFL’s hiring practices remain deeply inequitable. The Rooney Rule, designed to increase opportunities for Black and other minority coaches, continues to be manipulated by owners who conduct token interviews without real intent to diversify leadership. In this year’s hiring cycle, only one Black head coach was hired out of seven openings. So when the NFL says it remains committed to diversity, what does that really mean? If the message to “End Racism” is too controversial, then what does that say about the league’s real priorities?

What Does This Say to the Rest of Us?

The NFL is America’s most popular sports league, a cultural behemoth that shapes public discourse and influences millions. Its decision to remove a direct call for racial justice is not happening in a vacuum. It is part of a larger societal trend in which institutions are retreating from racial and social justice commitments in the face of political pressure. With Donald Trump back in the White House and corporations quietly dissolving their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives, we are watching the systematic erasure of progress that was hard-fought and long overdue.

For LGBTQ+ people, women, immigrants, and anyone who exists on the margins of society, this shift should be alarming. Today, it’s the removal of “End Racism.” Tomorrow, it could be the quiet abandonment of anti-discrimination policies, the rollback of hard-won rights, the return to an era where simply existing as a marginalized person is met with hostility. We cannot afford to pretend that these choices are neutral. They are not. They are part of a broader, coordinated effort to silence calls for justice.

We Cannot Let This Become Normal

There will be people who dismiss this as just words in an end zone, as if symbolism doesn’t matter. But this isn’t just about words—it’s about power. The NFL had an opportunity to take a stand, to affirm that ending racism is not a partisan issue, but a moral imperative. Instead, it chose to dilute its message, to play it safe, to back away from a truth that is inconvenient to those in power.

This is not cool. This is not okay. And we cannot allow this to become the norm.

If we do, we will look back on this moment as another step toward the normalization of racism, bigotry, and silence in the face of oppression. We must continue to demand better—from the NFL, from corporations, from political leaders, and from ourselves. Because if we stop pushing, the erasure will continue. And that is something we simply cannot afford.