NFL teams that were happy to go above and beyond to memorialize George Floyd after his death declined to honor Charlie Kirk after he was assassinated.
As Blaze News previously reported, at least five NFL teams did not honor Kirk in home games over the weekend, while others held moments of silence or displayed his image on their in-stadium screens. Kirk was shot and killed on Sept. 10 during a campus tour stop in Utah, with countless memorials being erected in his honor.
‘Please do not mistake a lack of public commentary for indifference.’
The five teams that did not honor Kirk, however, did honor Floyd after his 2020 death while he was in police custody.
The Minnesota Vikings, for example, not only stood in unison to honor Floyd at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis (pictured below), but they hosted Floyd’s family for the same game, their 2020 season opener against the Green Bay Packers. The team also pledged $5 million to “social justice,” while planning a scholarship in Floyd’s name.
The Vikings have not made a public statement about Kirk and did not return Blaze News’ request for comment.
RELATED: Houston Texans hold moment of silence — but don’t say Charlie Kirk’s name
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – SEPTEMBER 13, 2020: Members of the Minnesota Vikings stand with arms linked as the team pays tribute to George Floyd before the game against the Green Bay Packers in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
The Indianapolis Colts did not honor Kirk’s death, but they did introduce measures to fight “racism and injustice” after Floyd died. The team also created a new staff position — director of diversity, equity, and inclusion — along with a scholarship fund.
“In addition to the recent deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and others, I have heard stunning testimonials from our players and staff about their personal experiences with racism,” owner and CEO Jim Irsay said at the time.
In a comment to the Daily Mail, the Colts said the reason they did not honor Kirk was because they held a moment of silence for Forrest Lucas, the founder of Lucas Oil, who is the namesake of their stadium. The team said the honoring was planned last month when Mr. Lucas passed away.
The Cincinnati Bengals, who also have not honored or seemingly made any public statements about Kirk, were quick to squash any claims in 2020 that they did not have an opinion on Floyd’s death.
The Bengals committed to “listening and action” and pledged $250,000 to “community initiatives.”
“Please do not mistake a lack of public commentary for indifference,” the team said in a statement. “The Bengals organization believes that fighting prejudice and discrimination requires action but to do so we have to listen first.”
The Bengals did not return Blaze News’ request for comment.
RELATED: Here are the NFL teams that held a moment of silence to honor Charlie Kirk — and the ones that didn’t
INGLEWOOD, CA – AUGUST 27: George Floyd name displayed before the Los Angeles Chargers boycott scrimmage on August 27, 2020, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. (Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Additionally, the Baltimore Ravens held a moment of silence for Floyd in 2020 but not for Kirk in 2025. The team has not made any public statements about Kirk, either.
At the same time, though, star quarterback Lamar Jackson shared a post on X from former Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith that said, “Celebrating the death of someone you don’t share the same beliefs as is wild. Seeing it play out in real time is disgusting.”
The Ravens did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.
The Detroit Lions were the fifth team not to honor Kirk or give a public statement. However, in 2020, their statement about Floyd was adamant.
“Right is right and wrong is wrong. What is happening is not acceptable. We recognize that the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery are only the most recent examples plaguing our communities,” the franchise stated at the time.
The team vowed to engage in “real action and conversation” as well as “continue to LISTEN.”
Blaze News was unable to reach the Lions for comment.
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