Sports Comm Blog

On Sunday, September 14^th, thirteen National Football League (NFL) teams held games across the United States. Six of the teams that hosted, decided to not hold a moment of silence prior to the game for the political influencer Charlie Kirk, who was killed on September 10^th, 2025. Prior to these Sunday games, the NFL made a league decision on the previous Thursday to hold a moment of silence for Kirk during the game between the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers. While the decision on Thursday was a league wide decision made by the NFL, the Sunday games were purely team and organization-based decisions. The six teams that did not participate in the silence were: the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts, and Minnesota Vikings.

What Happened to Charlie Kirk?

Kirk, who was 31, was speaking at Utah Valley University on September 10^th, when a gunman fired a shot from a nearby rooftop, fatally killing Kirk. Kirk, who was a political influencer who was closely affiliated with current U.S. President, Donald Trump, was known for his conservative values and debates across the country. Kirk is survived by his wife, Erika Frantzve, and their two young children. A memorial service will be held for Kirk on September 21^st, at State Farm Stadium in Arizona, where the Arizona Cardinals play, who held a moment for Kirk on Sunday.