Five NFL teams have declined to pay tribute to Charlie Kirk, the right-wing activist and ally of President Donald Trump, in their first matches since his assassination last week. Kirk was shot dead while speaking at a university event in Utah, and several clubs, including the New York Jets, Miami Dolphins and Dallas Cowboys, observed a moment of silence before their weekend games.
The Detroit Lions, Cincinnati Bengals, Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts and Minnesota Vikings opted not to hold a tribute. The Colts, who play at Lucas Oil Stadium, said they had already arranged a silence for Forrest Lucas, the founder of Lucas Oil, who died last month. The other four teams did not respond to requests for comment.
The NFL had said it would be up to individual clubs to decide whether to honour Kirk. A league statement listed various occasions when tributes had been held, including after the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023, the Bourbon Street terrorist attack, and the recent wildfires in California.
Kirk's body was returned to his home state on Thursday, accompanied by Vice President JD Vance. His widow, Erika Kirk, said in a message to Trump: "Mr President, my husband loved you. And he knew that you loved him too. But most of all, Charlie loved his children. And he loved me. With all his heart."
The suspected gunman, named Tyler Robinson, was taken into custody after his father turned him in, according to Trump.
