"NFL to remove ‘End Racism’ messaging in end zone ahead of Super Bowl. — New York Times
We at the NFL have been committed to racial justice ever since the George Floyd protests brought renewed criticism of our treatment of Colin Kaepernick. This is why we began proudly displaying the slogan “End Racism” in the end zones of games in 2021.
That said, for this year’s Super Bowl, we’ve decided to switch to broader, all-encompassing slogans like “Choose Love” and “It Takes All of Us.” We assure you this change has nothing to do with President Trump attending the big game; it is simply about acknowledging a more inclusive range of perspectives. Here’s a breakdown of why we chose the new slogans and a look at some of the other slogans we’ll be rolling out soon.
“Choose Love”
The beauty of this phrase is that it can mean many different things to different people. Choosing love could mean supporting the right for all people, regardless of sexual orientation, to choose who they love. Or, if you’re Kansas City Chiefs placekicker Harrison Butker, choosing love could mean supporting the idea that all women should choose to love having twelve kids and being subservient to their husbands.
“It Takes All of Us”
Much like “Choose Love,” this phrase could mean anything from “It Takes All of Us to Stop Elon Musk from Turning Our Country into a Fascist Broligarchy” to “It Takes All of Us to Stop the Steal, so Let’s Dress Up Like Camo Vikings and Storm the Capitol.”
“Better Together”
Peanut butter and jelly; Carrie and Aidan; semi-automatic firearms and bump stocks; well-funded public transit and walkable neighborhoods; Brooks & Dunn. “Better Together” works for pretty much anything, which makes it a perfect NFL slogan.
“Women”
Is this our way of advocating for women’s reproductive rights? Or a subtle show of support for banning trans women from women’s restrooms? We’ll never tell.
“People Exist”
This is an unobjectionable fact that even Marjorie Taylor Greene can’t refute.
“Call Your Mom”
Maybe this is a plea to let your MAGA mother back into your life. Or maybe it’s a reminder that, during this dark moment in American history, it’s important to stay close to the people that matter most. Either way, your mom probably wishes you would call more often.
“You Know What They Say About [Insert Region in Which Game Is Taking Place]: If You Don’t Like the Weather Here, Just Wait Five Minutes. It’ll Change”
This folksy expression is heralded as truth in every single part of the country, whether you believe in climate change or believe that the weather is controlled by a secret cabal of Democrats and Jewish billionaires.
“‘Take Me Home, Country Roads’ by John Denver Is an Absolute Banger”
We have yet to find a single American who doesn’t love this song. And if John Denver were still alive, he’d be the NFL’s permanent halftime show performer.
“Emilia Pérez’s Karla Sofía Gascón Should Not Win the Oscar for Best Actress”
In a rare moment of pop culture unity, this is something conservatives and liberals both firmly believe, albeit for entirely different reasons.
“We Have No Idea Who Those Weird HeGetsUs.com Commercials Are for, Either”
You know exactly which commercials we’re talking about—the ones with black-and-white footage of civil unrest, where they intercut footage of Black Lives Matter protests with footage of the January 6 insurrection, as if to suggest they’re morally equivalent and equally bad. Which, we can only imagine, has got to piss off folks on the right just as much as folks on the left. Plus, the text overlaid over the footage seems to be promoting a sort of liberal “peace, love, and forgiveness” version of Jesus that definitely doesn’t appeal to evangelicals. And yet, the organization behind HeGetsUs.com is also staunchly anti-LGBT, so it’s not like their message is going to resonate with a young, secular audience either. So you have to wonder, who exactly are these commercials for? And also, isn’t it a little weird to have a somber ad sandwiched in between goofy ads for State Farm Insurance and avocados from Mexico? Is that really the most appropriate place for serious, pro-Jesus messaging? Like, what exactly are they trying to accomplish here? The whole thing makes no sense. So, we guess the point is, we’re just as confused as you are about those ads.
“Racism”
Drop the “End” part, and this once again becomes a palatable slogan. Because whether you want it to end or continue forever, we can all agree that racism is a thing, and either way, the NFL supports you.