JERRY Jones has explained why he made the decision to honor Charlie Kirk before Sunday’s game.
Following Kirk’s assassination last week, multiple NFL teams chose to honor him pregame.
Jerry Jones spoke out against violence after honoring Charlie Kirk[/caption]
The Cowboys put Kirk’s image on the jumbotron ahead of their game[/caption]
Among those teams was the Dallas Cowboys, who put a message on their jumbotron ahead of the game.
Jones spoke to reporters following the game to explain his decision.
“We just all abhor violence. And it’s impacting us all,” he said via The Athletic.
“And, certainly, we all stand together on any front, relative to the threat of violence.
“I was a young guy, but aware, in the ’60s when we had huge violence, lost President (John F.) Kennedy and his brother and many, many others, Martin Luther King.
“It’s something that we all really need to just be aware of, support our law enforcement, and do everything we can to keep the violence in check.”
The Cowboys were among multiple teams to honor kirk before their games this week.
The Tennessee Titans, New York Jets, New Orleans Saints, Arizona Cardinals, and Kansas City Chiefs all honored Kirk.
The Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, and Minnesota Vikings opted not to.
The Green Bay Packers honored Kirk on Thursday night, and the decision was left up to individual teams after that game, according to a statement from the NFL.
“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.
“This is in addition to honoring those in the NFL family from tributes to recently passed players or personnel, or a player such as Damar Hamlin in 2023.
Elected officials reaction to Charlie Kirk shooting
- Vice President JD Vance: “Dear God, protect Charlie in his darkest hour.”
- Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg: “Political violence must be always and totally rejected,” Buttigieg wrote on X. “Praying for him and all who may have been injured or impacted.”
- California Governor Gavin Newsom: “The attack on Charlie Kirk is disgusting, vile, and reprehensible. In the United States of America, we must reject political violence in EVERY form.”
- Illinois Governor JB Pritzker: “The attack on Charlie Kirk is horrifying. Political violence has no place in this country and should never become the norm. I’m sending my sympathies to his family and friends at this time.”
- Florida Governor Ron DeSantis: “The way to resolve political disputes is not through violence. The way to do that is to ask questions, debate. An attack on the idea that we resolve these things through reasoned debate and elections.”
- NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani: I’m horrified by the shooting of Charlie Kirk at a college event in Utah. Political violence has no place in our country.”
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: “Praying for @charliekirk11″
“The NFL also honored before Super Bowl LIV NBA star Kobe Bryant and the other victims of the helicopter crash (Gianna Bryant, Sarah and Payton Chester, Christina Mauser, Ara Zobayan) and also Pro Football Hall of Famer Chris Doleman who passed that week.
“In just this calendar year: Lift Every Voice and Sing has been performed at league events since 2020 following the murder of George Floyd and the events of the summer of 2020, including last Thursday during the Kickoff game in Philadelphia. It is also performed before the Super Bowl.
“This summer before the Hall of Fame game in Canton, the league honored the victims and those impacted by the attack at 345 Park Avenue. During Week 18 games last season, the NFL honored the victims of the Bourbon Street terrorist attack.
“Also, that season the NFL held a moment to recognize those lost in the deadly crashes near Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia and also prior to the Vikings-Rams Wild Card game that was moved from LA to Arizona due to the wildfires.”
