The NFL is leaving the decision up to the individual teams of whether or not to pay tribute to Charlie Kirk during this weekend’s games following his assassination on Wednesday.
Kirk, a conservative political activist and the co-founder of Turning Point USA, was shot in the neck while speaking on the campus of Utah Valley University. He was rushed to a local hospital before he was pronounced dead.
He was 31.
Before kicking off the “Thursday Night Football” matchup between the Packers and Commanders at Lambeau Field, Green Bay held a moment of silence for Kirk.
“The National Football League asks that you please join us in a moment of silent reflection following the murder of Charlie Kirk,” the Lambeau public address announcer said. The NFL condemns all violence in our communities. It will take all of us to stop hate. Thank you.’
That decision was made by the league on Thursday, the NFL revealed in a statement on Friday. Moving forward, things are in the hands of the other 30 teams.
“Last night’s moment was the league’s decision. It’s up to the clubs for this Sunday’s games,” the statement read. “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. 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.”
In the past, the NFL has paid tribute to the LA fires that moved the Vikings-Rams wild-card playoff game to Arizona, along with the deadly plane crashes near Washington D.C. and Philadelphia in the past year.
They have also recognized Kobe Bryant and the other victims of the helicopter crash, including his daughter Gianna, before Super Bowl 54, along with Hall of Famer Chris Doleman, who passed that same week.
Outside of the NFL, the Yankees held a moment of silence for Kirk before their game against the Tigers on Wednesday night. They also hosted President Trump in The Bronx on the 24th anniversary of the Sept. 11th attacks.