Social justice decals, end-zone stencils returning to NFL

The National Football League (NFL) is planning to bring back decals and stencils that depict social justice messages and meanings for the second straight season, The Associated Press reported.
The league’s senior vice president of social responsibility, Anna Isaacson, told the newswire that the return of the stencils and decals is a part of their “Inspire Change” initiative.
During their 2020 season, the league allowed players to wear decals on the back of their helmets with slogans including “End Racism,” “Stop Hate” and “Black Lives Matter.”
Players were also allowed to have the names of civil rights icons who have impacted each player personally and in their community, the AP reported.
“End Racism” stencils will also be placed at every end zone during home games this season, except for games when other causes are being recognized including their “Salute for Service” campaign in November, according to the AP.
“That will provide a unified time frame for us to further amplify all of the work that our clubs are doing and that will lead into the playoffs where Inspire Change will continue to take center stage,” Isaacson told the AP.
“The key message for us as the season is starting, we are ramping up again in a big way with our social justice work.”
This comes as various sports leagues around the globe have shown their support in the recent cause of ending social injustice and racial prejudice, with national protests and unrest taking center stage last summer.
The league also said they are collaborating with clothing apparel company New Era and the Players Coalition to offer Inspire Change hats that can be worn on the sidelines during the final two weeks of the regular season, the AP noted.
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