The Detroit Lions, Cincinnati Bengals, and Baltimore Ravens did not hold tributes for conservative activist Charlie Kirk before their NFL games on Sunday.
The decision came just days after Kirk, 31, was assassinated in Utah while speaking at a college campus.
Several other franchises, including the New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, Tennessee Titans, New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys, paused before kickoff to remember Kirk’s life and legacy.
The Lions, Bengals and Ravens allowed games to proceed without reference to Kirk’s death, however, sparking outrage online.
Kirk was widely known as a passionate football fan, particularly devoted to the Oregon Ducks.
Six NFL games remain to be played this weekend, leaving open the possibility of additional tributes.
The Ravens’ decision drew attention because the franchise had previously marked national tragedies with silence.
In 2020, after the death of George Floyd, the Ravens held a moment of silence, and players from both teams that day knelt during the National Anthem in protest.
On Thursday night, before the Green Bay Packers faced the Washington Commanders, the Packers honored Kirk with a pre-game moment of silence.
That tribute was mandated by the league office. However, the NFL later announced that future memorials would be left to the discretion of individual clubs.
During Sunday’s games, the Cowboys, Jets and Titans projected an image of Kirk on their stadium jumbotrons during their moments of silence.
The Saints held their observance before the National Anthem.
The Dolphins recognized Kirk alongside the victims of the September 11 attacks and “any other victims of violence.”
The Pittsburgh Steelers lowered their flag to half-staff before their game against the Seattle Seahawks.
The Daily Mail reported that on Friday, the NFL released a statement clarifying its stance on tributes for Kirk.
“Last night’s moment was the league’s decision. It’s up to the clubs for this Sunday’s games,” the statement read.
The league pointed to past precedent, explaining that moments of silence often follow events of national significance.
Past examples included memorials after school shootings, attacks on houses of worship such as the 2018 Tree of Life Synagogue massacre in Pittsburgh, the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and natural disasters such as hurricanes and wildfires.
The NFL also listed tributes to its own members, including players and personnel.
The outlet further noted that in 2023, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin received national recognition after suffering cardiac arrest during a game.
The league honored Kobe Bryant and other helicopter crash victims at Super Bowl LIV in 2020.
More recently, the league said it has continued performances of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” at major events, including last week’s season opener in Philadelphia.
Other memorials have taken place before games impacted by terrorist attacks, deadly crashes and wildfires.
Meanwhile, authorities in Utah continue investigating the killing of Kirk.
The suspect, 22-year-old Tyler James Robinson of Washington, Utah, was arrested on suspicion of aggravated murder and multiple felony counts.
Prosecutors expect to file formal charges soon.
Robinson allegedly carried out the fatal shooting Wednesday at Utah Valley University.
Investigators executed a search warrant at his family home, located about 240 miles from the campus. Relatives told police Robinson had “become more political in recent years” and had previously discussed Kirk’s scheduled appearance at the school.
Gov. Spencer Cox confirmed that authorities found ammunition with anti-fascist and meme-related inscriptions, including one bullet casing engraved with the phrase, “Hey, fascist! Catch!”
Messages reviewed by the New York Times showed Robinson mocking the manhunt and taunting federal investigators while joking about claiming reward money.
He appeared to show no remorse, according to screenshots shared by a former classmate.
