“Being lost to wokeness!” – NFL hosting third annual ‘A Night of Pride’ during Super Bowl week doesn’t sit well with fans on social media

arring 2020 and 2021 because of COVID-19, the NFL has held an inclusive event yearly since 2018.

“Being lost to wokeness!” – NFL hosting third annual ‘A Night of Pride’ during Super Bowl week doesn’t sit well with fans on social media

Tampa Bay Buccaneers outside linebacker Carl Nassib (94) on the sidelines in the fourth quarter of an NFL, American Football Herren, USA game between the San Francisco 49ers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Image via iMAGO)

The NFL is committed to spreading awareness about inclusivity in pro football. To keep the yearly tradition, they have announced the third annual “A Night of Pride” during Super Bowl week in Las Vegas on February 7.

It’s a controversial topic that a section of fans prefer to avoid. Not just that, they are against the idea of pro football endorsing the LGBTQ+ community. Bad news for them: they are here to stay, and everyone, irrespective of their gender preferences, has the right to play football or any sport for that matter.

YouTube video

Barring 2020 and 2021 because of COVID-19, the NFL has held an inclusive event yearly since 2018. Here’s what the official NFL notification for the event read:

FS Video
The National Football League (NFL) will host the third annual A Night of Pride with GLAAD presented by Smirnoff during Super Bowl week in Las Vegas, NV, on Wednesday, February 7. The event will feature a special live performance presented by Smartfood with singer-songwriter VINCINT -- The NFL family and partners will gather to spotlight advances in the future of LGBTQ inclusion in professional sports as well the NFL's commitment to LGBTQ former and current players.

The NFL’s LGBTQ+ event, “A Night of Pride,” faced backlash on social media

This is not the 1950s; it’s not even the 1990s; it’s 2024, and the world has undergone significant changes in that time. In this era, acceptance plays a massive part in the socio-economic growth of the community. The NFL wants to leave its mark, which will help give recognition to many individuals; hence, the “A Night of Pride” event will be one of the primary focuses during the Super Bowl week in February.

"Being lost to wokeness!" - NFL hosting third annual 'A Night of Pride' during Super Bowl week doesn't sit well with fans on social media
Former NFL defensive end Michael Sam (Image via IMAGO)

However, a section of fans are not on board with the league. They want football to be free of ‘woke’ agendas.

https://twitter.com/sportzguy732/status/1749544423157862494
https://twitter.com/BradyGoatTalk/status/1749586044587311295

Gay NFL players who have come out

Several NFL players have decided to come out and announce themselves as homosexuals over the years. One of the first names that pop up is Carl Nassib. The former Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end announced he belonged to the queer community on Instagram in 2021.

I just wanted to take a quick moment to say that I'm gay and have been meaning to do this for a while now but finally feel comfortable getting it off my chest. I have the best life—the best family, friends, and job a guy can ask for and I do not know all the history behind our courageous LGBTQ community, but I am eager to learn and to help continue the fight for equality and acceptance.
Nassib wrote

The 30-year-old announced his retirement from football in September 2023. He told CBS News,

Football has been something I've been doing since I was eight, and I just felt like I'm very proud of my career. I've played a lot of games, played a lot of football, and I'm ready to move on to the next chapter.

Other notable names include Michael Sam, drafted by the Los Angeles Rams. Sam had already come out as queer even before joining the NFL in 2014 while playing college football.

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