August 16, 2025
The NFL restored its ‘End Racism’ message after backlash over its Super Bowl swap.
Just as it has for the past six seasons, the National Football League will continue the social justice messaging it adopted in the wake of the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor during the summer of 2020.
Teams can choose between “End Racism,” “Choose Love,” “Stop Hate,” or “Inspire Change,” to be displayed on one end zone, while the other end zone will read “It Takes All of Us.”
According to The Athletic, players can also individually opt to wear one of the slogans on their helmets, and although the NFL did not respond to a request for comment from the outlet, Anna Issacson, the NFL’s senior vice president of social responsibility, previously issued a statement to The Associated Press indicating that the league wants to let its teams and players indicate that diversity is important to them.
“We’re working hand-in-hand with players, and alongside our clubs, to amplify player voices and underscore what is most important to them. For decades, the NFL and its players have been a unifying force in American culture and society that brings people of all cultures and backgrounds together to enjoy America’s most popular sport. This is an honor and responsibility that the league takes seriously, which is why we actively invest in off-field programs and on-field initiatives that promote unity,” Issacson said.
The NFL’s return to its previous messaging follows criticism the league received during the Super Bowl when it swapped out the “End Racism” stenciling in one end zone for “Choose Love.”
Although the change coincided with an expensive visit from Donald Trump, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell indicated in February 2025 that it was intended to reflect on the tragedies in the months leading up to the game, rather than any deference to Trump. He also more broadly discussed the NFL’s entrance into diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
“We got into diversity efforts because we felt it was the right thing to do 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 to ourselves that it does make the NFL better,” Goodell said.
In addition, Brian McCarthy, an NFL spokesperson, told The Athletic that the decision from the league to alter its messaging was based on sensitivity to recent tragedies like the terrorist attack in New Orleans and the collision of aircraft in Washington D.C., which Trump acerbically blamed on DEI.
“We felt it was an appropriate statement for what the country has collectively endured, given recent tragedies, and can serve as an inspiration,” McCarthy said.
He also told Front Office Sports that the idea that the changes were due to Trump’s attendance was “not true,” saying that the Super Bowl existed as “a snapshot in time” and that “the NFL is in a unique position to capture and lift the imagination of the country.”
As Oliver Thomas, one of New Orleans’ city council members, told Northwestern University in February, ending any of America’s -isms is a group project.
“Any time you talk about ending ‘isms’ is more than just a slogan, it’s a reminder for people. Look, we love the NFL, we love our sports activities, but we also love life and respect the history of life. When you talk about any discrimination and eradicating ‘isms’, until we’re all on the same page, pages are gonna be torn. We need to make sure those pages aren’t torn, but that we write new pages and create new chapters,” Thomas said.
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