The NFL will again during the 2026 season stencil its end zones and adorn helmets with “Stop Hate” or “End Racism” as part of its social justice messaging even as the league is inundated in arrests, court dates and personal conduct policy investigations having to do with criminal justice.
The league wants to advance the message that every person deserves equal economic, political, and social rights, regardless of their background. And that’s good.
But it is not making any similar messaging push for stopping men getting physical with women, people driving under the influence or stopping human trafficking – even after one of its owners, Jed York of the San Francisco 49ers, got arrested by a human trafficking task force in Ohio in a prostitution sting.
49ERS OWNER JED YORK ARRESTED FOR ‘ENGAGING IN PROSTITUTION’ IN OHIO, PLEADS NO CONTEST TO LESSER CHARGES
So the league is making social justice a priority while criminal justice needs addressing within its ranks.
The return of the social justice push for 2026 was first reported by Front Office Sports. A league spokesman told OutKick that clubs will again have the opportunity to select their preferred end zone stencil messaging.
The available options for 2026 for the clubs are the same as last year – “Choose Love,” “Inspire Change,” “End Racism” and “Stop Hate.”
Clubs can also use “Never Forget” on Week 1, which is in memoriam of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Players can also again select from the four messages for their helmet decals throughout the season.
Here’s a thought: Any club not picking “Never Forget” on Week 1 is failing, regardless of what they pick the remainder of the season.
Despite the NFL’s social justice messaging on its fields and player helmets the rest of this year and every year since 2020, the FBI recorded a 51% increase in bias-motivated incidents from 2020 to 2024.
The Anti-Defamation League recorded 2,024 antisemitic incidents in 2020, but by 2024 that number had risen to 9,354 — a more than fourfold increase.
In 2020, the FBI reported 7,759 hate crimes. That number was at 10,881 in 2025.
These rising statistics amid the NFL’s social justice campaign is obviously not the league’s fault, but it does raise the question whether its audience is the proper target. And if the league can continue a campaign that isn’t necessarily stopping hate or racism, why can’t it also take on the criminal problems that some of its own employees apparently have?
NFL EMPLOYEES’ TROUBLING DRIVING INCIDENTS MOUNT, COSTING JOBS AND PUTTING OTHERS AT RISK
The two campaigns wouldn’t have to be mutually exclusive.
The NFL could stencil its end zones with “Stop drinking and driving” just as it will with one of the four options presented to teams for most of the season.
The league could perhaps benefit from such messaging in its stadiums and on its helmets because DUI arrests or other traffic incidents involving NFL people are not uncommon.
Consider:
The Washington Commanders fired tight end coach Ben Steele on the eve of training camp following a DWI arrest in June.
Defensive backs coach Gerald Alexander was suspended by the Minnesota Vikings after he pleaded guilty to third-degree DWI.
The Los Angeles Chargers released guard Ben Cleveland after he was arrested on charges of speeding and driving with a limited permit. That arrest came roughly one-and-a-half-years removed from Cleveland being arrested for DUI.
Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and current CBS NFL analyst Tony Romo was arrested in Wisconsin for OWI, which is Operating While Intoxicated, unsafe passing, open intoxicants and refusing a breathalyzer. A hearing is scheduled for Sept. 21.
The NFL could also benefit from messaging that addresses domestic violence. The league has seen a not insignificant number of its players or others involved in domestic incidents this year.
Just this week, Packers running back Josh Jacobs was charged with battery and one other misdemeanor count in an incident allegedly involving his ex-girlfriend.
Falcons edge rusher James Pearce was suspended for the first eight games of the season after he was embroiled in a domestic incident and arrested in February.
NFL PUTS ‘INSPIRE CHANGE’ AND ‘CHOOSE LOVE’ ON FIELDS BUT NOT SO AGGRESSIVE ABOUT ITS DOMESTIC ABUSE ISSUES
Ravens receiver Rashod Bateman, Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper, Rams offensive lineman Alaric Jackson, and free agent receiver Tyreek Hill, also have run afoul of police or courts or both because of domestic issues this year.
So, here’s an end zone stencil idea the NFL should consider: “Tackle men but don’t touch women.”
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