NFL is out of its league in honoring Martin Luther King

On Wednesday night, less than an hour before tipoff of the Bulls’ game against the Rockets, the Jumbotron at the United Center showed images of the one we like to call “American Jesus” — or a modern-day Moses, as the New York Times referred to him in 1965 in explaining the Civil Rights Movement to its readership — accompanied by the words “Honoring The Life and Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” This, five full days before we officially celebrate his birth. 

Two thousand miles away, same night, in another NBA arena, the Warriors and the Pelicans did the same. Some players entered the court in “Honor King” shooting shirts over their jerseys. Again, this is five days before the NBA has its own leaguewide version of an MLK celebration, with 11 games slated to be played recognizing the man who created more equality-driven change than any single human being has ever been able to do in this country. 

Without being killed first.

For years, the NBA has recognized Dr. King in a way no other league has — partially because of the timing and scheduling of its season (and how King’s holiday falls in the middle of the season) and partially because of the racial dynamic of the league in that the workforce (players) is predominantly African American. The NHL, sharing basically the same timing in schedule as the NBA, is somewhat excused from this because of the Canadian base of the league and the sport, and MLB can claim out because it’s out of season when the holiday arrives. 

For the last two Januarys, the NFL has decided to slide its feet into the shoes Dr. King walked in. On a once-exclusive and sacred sports day, the NFL (in much the same vein it recently pursued broadcast space on Christmas Day) decided to invade territory exclusively reserved for a league that’s socially in tune and that remains connected and supportive of not only the dream King spoke of but the urgency of now that he dreamed about.

In 2022, besides a statement by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to coincide with social-media posts, there were MLK T-shirts that players donned with “Inspire Change” on the front and “Justice. Equality. Empowerment. Empathy. Inclusion. Integrity” stacked on the back, plus “MLK” stickers (along with “Be Love” and “Stop Hate” decals) on players’ helmets. Also, universal messaging of hope and liberation for some outlined each end zone. Last year, perceived reduction. No sanctioned stickers or decals on the participating teams’ helmets, and only “End Racism” and “It Takes All of Us” painted outside the end zones.

Corporate social messaging aside, King’s presence in the NFL seems to be disappearing — fading into comfortable generalisms of American symmetry, with no direct connection to him. As we enter Season 3 of the NFL’s King’s Day existence, it’s difficult to believe there will be an “all-in” leaguewide effort to increase the Reverend-Doctor’s honoring. Even taking into consideration the importance of the games being played while still considering the league’s history of a lack of social awareness, racial leveraging and minority ownership, it’s hard to give a pass for the league not doing more.

Using King’s words against the NFL’s efforts of minimizing MLK recognition (words that many of the NFL teams individually posted on their Twitter accounts to recognize his birthday): “The time is always right to do what is right.” Respect enough the man and his day to honor him in a way that equates to the service he gave, to something that feels more like dignity. Don’t just quote his words — live by them. Don’t just subtly (conveniently) recognize what Dr. King stood for on Monday — overtly (purposefully) do so during Saturday’s and Sunday’s games, too. Allow his purpose and role in this country’s attempt at human civility to be seen, heard, experienced and felt. Use your platform for once for something more than football. Read the field.

Just as the NBA began rolling out its MLK messaging a week before the actual day that they have, for 38 years, dedicated to him, it would be nice if a league with a 70% Black constituency of players (who, again, just began acknowledging King leaguewide in 2022) would at the least use the six games they have spread out over this three-day weekend to commemorate all this man has done for us. All of us, not just those of us racially bonded to Dr. King, who just so “happen to be Black.”

If the NFL is what it claims to be about and is headed in the direction it hopes fans accept (fall for?) — especially with anti-DEI, BLM, “Woke,” liberal and other dog-whistle terms that a large part of their fans have turned against the minorities King fought for being attached to how the league itself is perceived — then half-ass observing Dr. King on King Day/King Weekend and acting like “wild card” games trump his legacy is disrespectful, yet unfortunately expected. 

It’s going to be interesting to see how the NFL plays this. Hopefully, I’ll be wrong. But I doubt it.

Because football is, as the NFL loves to say, “America’s game.”