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Finally, a major American institution is doing the right thing: the NFL is shifting the conversation from hollow, performative slogans back to the one thing that actually unites hardworking Americans—patriotism. Rob Finnerty and other sensible voices on the right have every reason to applaud the league for putting America’s semiquincentennial front and center on the sidelines instead of yet another round of woke messaging. This is a welcome course correction that respects fans who come to stadiums to celebrate our country and our common culture.
The details make the point plain: beginning in Week 18 of the regular season and continuing through the playoffs, games will feature America250 sideline stencils, commemorative footballs, and even America250-branded coins for the coin toss—small but unmistakable symbols that say this is about national pride, not political posturing. Turning game-day activations into a celebration of our 250 years sends a message far more unifying than the constant parade of grievance politics we’ve endured. Fans who love their families, their flag, and their freedom will appreciate football finally reflecting that timeless American spirit.
This isn’t an accident; it’s a deliberate partnership between the NFL and the national America250 effort to highlight the best of our story and those who serve their communities. League officials have said they want the NFL to be part of the national commemoration, and that’s exactly where a massive cultural platform like the NFL belongs—lifting up heroes and the history that made this country great. Conservatives should support smart, patriotic partnerships that restore respect for our nation and its institutions.
Let’s be clear about what’s changing: for years the field became a stage for virtue signaling—slogans like End Racism plastered on end zones while big-money owners and executives paraded their woke credentials. Plenty of Americans saw that as hypocritical and divisive, and they were right to be fed up. Replacing political theater with outright patriotism is a move that respects the majority of fans who want their sports to bring them together, not drive them apart.
The league is even bringing back tradition with on-air and on-field touches such as a planned performance of God Bless America and special commemorations through the postseason, gestures that honor our veterans and the troops who defend our liberty. Those gestures aren’t partisan; they are patriotic, and they belong on the field where millions of Americans can see and feel them. If the NFL wants to heal a fragmented country, celebrating our founding and our shared values is a far better prescription than recycling the same tired slogans.
Now is the moment for fans to reward the league for doing the right thing and to hold it accountable to that standard going forward: celebrate patriotism, support players who show respect for the flag, and demand substance over spectacle. Sports should be where Americans of every background can cheer together, not where corporations lecture us from a moral high ground while their profits keep rolling in. If the NFL keeps choosing America first, conservatives and patriots should meet them halfway and make sure the national pastime reflects the love of country we all share.
