Why do NFL players have ‘Choose Love’ or ‘Be Love’ on the back of their helmets?

The NFL has a social justice helmet decal program, which allows players to choose from several slogans to wear on their helmet. It is a recognition by the league that with great power comes great responsibility, and is now in its third season.

Some past slogans were idealogical, such as “Stop Hate” or “End Racism”, and others were direct responses to current events, such as the “Black Lives Matter” or “Say their Stories” decals.

While there will always some in society who find their greatest joy in feeling a daily surge of snorting outrage, regardless of the object of their anger, it seems difficult to believe that anyone could have any sort of problem with the messages “Be Love” or “Choose Love”. After all, that is the direct message that was brought to us by Jesus Christ himself.

But it would seem that there are some who take umbrage at this simple message.

According to the NFL, the meaning behind the slogans are straightforward. “Be Love” is a reference to the Dr Martin Luther King Jr Center’s Be Love campaign. According to the King Center, Be Love is a movement “born amid the immense uncertainty and global tension of the past year.”

Similarly, the “Choose Love” slogan was added to the list of approved slogans in the 2023-24 postseason as a reference to an increase in gun violence and hate crimes across the US.

Prominently displayed during the Wild Card game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Philadelphia Eagles, many audience members seemed to take exception to the slogans.

On social media, critics saw the messages not as harmless or even uplifting, but as “preaching” and “grade-school slogans”, with one user calling the messages “blah-blah-blah” and “nonsensical”.

The opposite view was expressed as well, with one Twitter user reminding the critics to “Remember to ‘Be Love’ just like the helmets say.”

The decals are back during this 2024-25 regular season as the U.S.‘s gun violence issues have not slowed down.

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