For the first time since 2021, the Super Bowl will not feature the ‘end racism’ message written in the back of one of the end zones.
The Super Bowl 59 matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles will instead include the phrases ‘Choose Love’ and ‘It Takes All of Us’ behind the end zones at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy confirmed to USA TODAY Sports.
McCarthy said the choice of messages was made in response to several deadly tragedies throughout the United States since the start of the new year.
‘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,’ McCarthy said in a statement. ‘ ‘Choose Love’ is appropriate to use as our country has endured in recent weeks wild fires 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.’
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McCarthy noted that the AFC championship game, hosted by the Chiefs, did not feature the ‘end racism’ slogan while the NFC championship game, hosted by the Eagles, did.
The league began stenciling in ‘end racism’ behind end zones starting with the season openers in 2020 as part of its ‘Inspire Change’ initiative, with the efforts expanding in 2021. The Athletic reported that the decision not to utilize the slogan for Super Bowl 59 was relayed to ‘high-level’ league employees earlier this week.
In his Monday news conference, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said the league would not scale back its diversity, equity and inclusion programs and policies even as many other corporations have scaled back their operations, particularly since the election of President Donald Trump.
‘We got into diversity efforts because we felt it was the right thing for the National Football League, and we’re going to continue those efforts because we’ve not only convinced ourselves, I think we’ve proven ourselves that it does make the NFL better,’ Goodell said. ‘So, we’re not in this because it’s a trend to get in or a trend to get out of it; our efforts are fundamental in trying to attract the best possible talent into the National Football League, both on and off the field, as I said previously.
‘And we see that. We see how it’s benefited the National Football League. And so, I think we’ll continue those efforts. I think it’s also clearly a reflection of our fan base and our communities and our players.’