NFL to Remove ‘End Racism’ from End Zones Before 2025 Super Bowl for First Time in 4 Years
'Choose Love' and 'It Takes All of Us' will replace the phrase when the Eagles and Chiefs take the field in New Orleans on Sunday
![NFL to Remove ‘End Racism’ from End Zones Before 2025 Super Bowl for First Time in 4 Years](https://news.hot166.com/uploads/images/202502/image_870x_67a311bbb4306.jpg)
'Choose Love' and 'It Takes All of Us' will replace the phrase when the Eagles and Chiefs take the field in New Orleans on Sunday Jamie Squire/Getty "End Racism" in an end zone
For the first time since February 2021, “End Racism” will not appear in the end zone during a Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 9, as the NFL plans to replace it with two different phrases.
The news comes less than a week before Super Bowl LIX is held in New Orleans at the Caesars Superdome.
Instead of “End Racism," the new stencil will read “Choose Love” on one side and “It Takes All of Us” on the other, NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy told The Athletic and The Hill in a statement on Tuesday, Feb. 4. Kevin C. Cox/Getty "End Racism" in an end zone, Mercedes-Benz Stadium on September 13, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia
The latter message has already been in use for league games.
“The Super Bowl is often a snapshot in time and the NFL is in a unique position to capture and lift the imagination of the country,” McCarthy said in his statement.
“‘Choose Love’ is appropriate to use as our country has endured in recent weeks wild fires in southern California, the terrorist attack here in New Orleans, the plane and helicopter crash near our nation’s capital and the plane crash in Philadelphia," McCarthy said.
According to the NFL spokesperson, in addition to “End Racism,” the end zones this year alone have seen several stenciled options, including “Stop Hate,” “Vote” and “Choose Love.”
The NFL began adding these phrases to the field in 2020, as part of the "Inspire Change" initiative launched in 2018. Teams can select which phrases they want in the end zone during the season, but McCarthy told The Hill the league picks the phrase for the Super Bowl. "End Racism" began appearing on Super Bowl end zones in February 2022.
Related: NFL's Roger Goodell Admits the League Was 'Wrong' For Not Listening to Players Who Protested
“We got into diversity efforts because we felt it was the right thing for the National Football League,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in his annual Super Bowl press conference on Monday, Feb. 3, The Athletic reports. “And we’re going to continue those efforts, because we’ve not only convinced ourselves we’ve proven it to ourselves — it does make the NFL better."
The end zone slogan change was announced the same day the Associated Press reported that President Donald Trump, who has criticized diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies, is set to attend the Super Bowl, citing a White House official. It will be the first time in history that a sitting president has attended the big game. League sources told The Athletic Trump will attend as a guest of New Orleans Saints owner Gayle Benson. CHIP SOMODEVILLA/POOL/AFP via Getty Donald Trump
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told Fox News on Monday that there are "no credible threats" on Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.
After the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship last month, Trump, 78, congratulated the team on their victory via Truth Social.
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"Congratulations to the Kansas City Chiefs," he wrote on his social media platform. "What a GREAT Team, Coach, Quarterback, and virtually everything else, including those fantastic FANS, that voted for me (MAGA!) in record numbers. Likewise, congratulations to the Buffalo Bills on a tremendous season. They will do a lot of winning long into the future!!!"
The Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles will play for the Lombardi Trophy at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Sunday, Feb. 9, at 6:30 p.m.