Bills pay tribute to Charlie Kirk ahead of game vs Dolphins
Video memorial shown on jumbotron as Buffalo participates in a broader, league-wide wave of remembrance during Week 2
The Buffalo Bills opened Thursday's game against the Miami Dolphins with a video memorial for Charlie Kirk projected on the jumbotron at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., on Sept. 18, 2025. Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, was assassinated on Sept. 10 during an event at Utah Valley University. The tribute came as Week 2 of the NFL season featured a number of displays honoring Kirk, with Buffalo becoming the 10th NFL team to publicly recognize him this week.
Buffalo joined nine other NFL franchises in publicly honoring Kirk during Week 2: the Green Bay Packers, New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints, Kansas City Chiefs, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tennessee Titans and Arizona Cardinals. The NFL had previously indicated that the Packers would observe a moment of silence before their game against the Washington Commanders last Thursday, but said decisions on further tributes would be left to individual teams for the rest of the weekend. Several teams chose not to participate, including the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Minnesota Vikings and the Las Vegas Raiders. An image of Kirk appeared on the Bills' video board as part of the tribute.
An image of Charlie Kirk was shown on a large video screen before the Bills–Dolphins game as fans watched the tribute unfold on the stadium’s video board.
Beyond the on-field tributes, the week featured other developments tied to Kirk. The Carolina Panthers fired Charlie Rock, a member of the team’s communications staff, after social media posts surfaced that appeared to question why people were sad that Kirk had been shot and killed. The Panthers said the posts did not reflect the organization and that they had addressed the matter with the employee. The incident underscored the charged atmosphere surrounding Kirk’s death and the broader debate over political discourse and violence in public life.
In a separate development, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution designating Oct. 14, 2025, as the National Day of Remembrance for Charlie Kirk. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., announced the designation, praising Kirk as a magnetic leader and a figure who inspired many of his supporters. The designation adds to the public conversation surrounding Kirk and the responsibilities of organizations when public figures are involved in controversial debates.
As the NFL navigates a season marked by high-profile and polarizing figures, the league’s approach to public remembrances has varied from team to team. The Bills’ Thursday tribute reflects a broader pattern in which some franchises participate in memorials while others opt to remain neutral, illustrating the tension between honoring individuals and maintaining a diverse, nationwide fan base. For fans and observers, Week 2 has underscored how sports leagues intersect with national conversations and how teams balance remembrance with their own cultural and political environments.