Several NFL teams hold pregame tributes to slain Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk

Multiple National Football League teams held pregame tributes Sunday to Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA who was killed in a shooting last week, asking fans to stand and observe moments of silence and displaying his image on stadium video boards.

The Tennessee Titans, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys staged on-field moments of silence during the 1 p.m. window on Sept. 14, 2025, and many of the home crowds greeted the tributes with applause and cheers. The league had coordinated a tribute for the Thursday Night Football game between the Green Bay Packers and the Washington Commanders but left the decision on observances during Sunday’s early slate to each of the 13 home teams.

In Miami, both teams came onto the field and observed a moment of silence; the Dolphins’ tribute was presented as part of a remembrance for “victims of violence” and was combined with other acknowledgments. At Lambeau Field on Thursday, the Packers’ recognition was combined with the Sept. 11 anniversary and other remembrances. The Jets held a short video tribute in the Meadowlands prior to many fans being seated. At AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Kirk’s photo filled the suspended main video board before the Cowboys game.

Not all teams held stand-alone tributes. The Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers did not conduct moments of silence on Sunday, according to team schedules. The Steelers told OutKick their planned form of recognition would be lowering stadium flags to half-staff rather than a moment of silence.

The scope and format of observances varied by market and by team decision. Some clubs arranged tributes that included images on the stadium video boards and an on-field pause; others incorporated Kirk into broader remembrances tied to the Sept. 11 anniversary or general victims of violence. Where moments of silence were held, stadium reactions commonly included respectful applause following the pause.

League officials had presented clubs with options for acknowledging Kirk, and several teams elected to include him in pregame remembrances. The coordinated Thursday night recognition between Green Bay and Washington took place ahead of the weekend slate and set the tone for the league’s guidance while leaving individual teams discretion for their Sunday games.

The tributes came amid national attention following Kirk’s death last week, and team statements and pregame displays emphasized remembrance. The varied approaches across franchises reflected differing decisions by club leadership about how best to honor the slain conservative activist at home games during an early-season weekend of play.