For the first time since February 2021, the phrase “End Racism” will be missing from the end zones during the Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 9. The NFL has announced plans to replace the message with two new phrases.
The decision comes just days before Super Bowl LIX, set to take place at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. Instead of “End Racism,” the end zones will feature the messages “Choose Love” on one side and “It Takes All of Us” on the other, NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy confirmed in a statement to The Athletic and The Hill on Tuesday, Feb. 4.
The latter message has already been used during regular league games this season. “The Super Bowl is often a snapshot of where the country is, and the NFL is in a unique position to capture and lift the imagination of the country,”
– McCarthy said.
“‘Choose Love'” is especially relevant given recent events,” he added, referencing the devastating wildfires in Southern California, the terrorist attack in New Orleans, a deadly plane crash near Washington, D.C., and another fatal crash in Philadelphia.
McCarthy also noted that the NFL has used several other phrases in the end zones throughout the 2023 season, including “Stop Hate,” “Vote,” and “Choose Love,” as part of its ongoing efforts to promote social justice.
The league began incorporating these messages into the field in 2020 as part of the “Inspire Change” initiative, which was launched in 2018. Teams are allowed to select their preferred phrases during the regular season, but for the Super Bowl, McCarthy confirmed that the NFL itself chooses the message. “End Racism” first appeared on Super Bowl end zones in 2022.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell addressed the league’s commitment to diversity and inclusion during his annual Super Bowl press conference on Monday, Feb. 3.
“We got into diversity efforts because we felt it was the right thing for the National Football League. And we’re going to continue those efforts, because we’ve not only convinced ourselves—it’s proven that it makes the NFL better.”
-Goodell said, according to The Athletic.
The timing of the end zone slogan change coincides with a report from the Associated Press that President Donald Trump will attend the Super Bowl, marking the first time in history that a sitting president will be present for the big game. The White House confirmed Trump’s attendance, citing an invitation from New Orleans Saints owner Gayle Benson.
Trump, a vocal critic of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, has also expressed support for the Kansas City Chiefs, who recently defeated the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship. “Congratulations to the Kansas City Chiefs,” Trump wrote on social media. “What a GREAT team, coach, quarterback, and virtually everything else, including those fantastic FANS, that voted for me (MAGA!) in record numbers.”
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told Fox News on Monday that there are “no credible threats” regarding Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.
The Kansas City Chiefs will face off against the Philadelphia Eagles for the Lombardi Trophy at the Caesars Superdome on Sunday, Feb. 9.
