The NFL Must Ban Native Headdress And Culturally Insensitive Face Paint in the Stands (UPDATED)

On Nov. 27, Deadspin published an opinion piece criticizing the NFL for allowing a young fan to attend the Kansas City Chiefs game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Nov. 26 wearing a traditional Native American headdress and, based upon the available photo, what appeared to be black face paint.

Unfortunately the article drew attention to the fan, though our intended focus was on the NFL and its checkered history on race, an issue which our writer has covered extensively for Deadspin. Three years ago, the Chiefs banned fans from wearing headdresses in Arrowhead Stadium, as well as face painting that “appropriates American Indian cultures and traditions.” The story’s intended focus was the NFL and its failure to extend those rules to the entire league.

We regret any suggestion that we were attacking the fan or his family. To that end, our story was updated on Dec. 7 to remove any photos, tweets, links, or otherwise identifying information about the fan. We have also revised the headline to better reflect the substance of the story.

It takes a lot to disrespect two groups of people at once. On Sunday afternoon in Las Vegas, someone in the stands at the Kansas City Chiefs game wore a headdress and face paint that some observers found objectionable, leading to lots of unanswered questions.

Why is Native American headdress banned in Arrowhead Stadium but not in every stadium in the league?

Why did the camera person give this fan the attention?

Why did the producer allow that camera angle to be aired at all?

The answers to those questions lead back to the NFL, a league that has relentlessly participated in prejudice. If the NFL had outlawed the chop at Chiefs games and been more aggressive in changing the team’s name, then we wouldn’t be here.

There’s no place for a franchise to be called the “Chiefs” in a league that’s already eradicated “Redskins.”

“There’s no pretty way to mascot people,” Amanda Blackhorse, a Native American activist and an organizer of a pre-game protest rally, told USA TODAY Sports, earlier this year.

This is what happens when you ban books, stand against Critical Race Theory, and try to erase centuries of hate. It takes away the tools that may help the league and its fans evolve.

“We are committed to Inspire Change and the social justice work that inspires change for the long-term,” Anna Isaacson, NFL senior vice president of social responsibility, told The Associated Press back in 2021. This was the time when the league was beginning to allow players to wear decals on their helmets that read Stop Hate, Black Lives Matter, Inspire Change, and Say Their Stories, as part of the NFL’s “social justice initiatives.”

Notice how it’s usually referred to as social justice and not racial justice, as a way to soften the hate. It’s an orchestrated way to distract you from the core issue.

However, the ultimate insult from the league can be seen during each game as “End Racism” and “It Takes All Of Us” are sketched in the end zones. Do you know how big your balls have to be to say that racism should be ended when you have a racist past like the NFL? It’s as if Jim Trotter and Brian Flores aren’t actively suing them for alleged racism right now, as the Attorneys General in New York and California are also investigating them for similar allegations.

The idea that it takes all of humanity to end racism is not only asinine, but insulting and infuriating. By doing that, you’re taking away the responsibility and necessity of accountability from the ones who created it and actively participated in it.

It’s also cruel to expect the oppressed to assist their oppressors in the termination of their own oppression.

And if you’re wondering if the NFL is delusional enough to believe that their end zone slogans are making a difference, you’re correct. The league is beyond sensitive when it comes to their “message.” In the preseason, there was a rumor floating around that “Play Football” would be the new motto etched on the field. When Deadspin contacted the league about it, we received a prompt response (12 minutes) saying otherwise.

“There’s been no change from previous years. Beginning with the regular season, clubs will have in end zones stencils featuring “It Takes All of Us” and “End Racism,” wrote Brian McCarthy, the league’s vice president of Communications, to Deadspin in an email exchange. “Play Football’ was featured for preseason as part of a league initiative.”

As of now, the league hasn’t released a statement on what took place in the stands in Las Vegas on Sunday.

“The NFL stands with the Black community, the players, clubs and fans,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell once said. “Confronting systemic racism with tangible and productive steps is absolutely essential. We will not relent in our work and we will redouble our efforts to be catalysts for the urgent and sustainable change that our society and communities so desperately need.”

Three years after Goodell made that comment, the league is worse off than it was when the commissioner was scrambling during America’s “racial awakening” in 2020. He apologized to Colin Kaepernick, “allowed” players to kneel in peaceful protests and promised that things would change. Nothing has, and it feels like nothing ever will.