It’s amazing how quickly things can change.
Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick started a significant political protest in 2016 when he decided to take a knee during the playing of the national anthem. This action quickly extended outside of the NFL, affecting sportsmen from several sports.
In 2018, ESPN made waves when it decided not to play the national anthem before its NFL broadcasts. This action was taken in response to Max Kellerman, an ESPN commentator, saying that playing “The Star-Spangled Banner” during sporting events was a political statement.
His point of view was not unique. The idea of discontinuing the long-standing custom of playing the national anthem before games was put out in 2020 by Sports Illustrated.
On Thursday night in Kansas City, the league used a different approach. The traditional national anthem, which has been played since far before Kaepernick, was performed by a modern Christian musician, yet it still represented everything the left despised.
As the anthem singer for the eagerly awaited season opening, Natalie Grant, the well-known singer behind hits like “I Will Not Be Moved” and “Speak the Name,” gave a stirring performance. The Kansas City Chiefs, the current Super Bowl champions, played at Arrowhead Stadium during this exciting occasion.
The announcement of the change on Thursday was different from what we had heard in prior seasons.
“Nine-time Grammy nominee and five-time Gospel Music Association Female Vocalist of the year Natalie Grant will sing the national anthem while the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard will present the colors. The flyover will be conducted by the 110th and 393rd Bomb Squadron’s B-2 Stealth Bombers out of Whiteman Air Force Base,” Thursday’s statement from the Chiefs.
Witness a stirring and inspiring event that includes a gifted gospel singer, a prestigious sheriff’s office honor guard, and an impressive military flyover. Come along as we create an ambiance that will capture your attention and stick with you. Be ready to be affected and inspired even in the face of this difficult world. Be prepared to experience intense reflection and sensitivity, Robin DiAngelo.
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And without a doubt, Grant nailed it:
Grant’s performance of the national anthem was highly praised.
The hometown Chiefs fell against the young team, the Detroit Lions, by a slim margin of 21-20, therefore Grant’s effort did not help them. In the 2023 season, the Lions are seen as a possible breakout team.
Whatever the Chiefs’ on-field performance, the NFL could have gained enormously from it.
Regardless of the Chiefs’ on-field performance, the NFL as a whole might have benefited significantly.
In fact, several people booed when “Lift Every Voice and Sing”—often referred to as the “black national anthem”—was performed before “The Star-Spangled Banner” on Thursday.
Fans’ opinions of the league have already been affected by the league’s anthem kneeling antics and the installation of “End Racism” and “It Takes All of Us” to the back of its end zones during the turbulent summer of 2020.
Future decisions need to be improved even though the initial decisions were reasonable. Such acts won’t work any longer.
Although Natalie Grant sings the national anthem flawlessly, the NFL absolutely seizes the occasion.
Whether it manages to keep its momentum is open for debate, but conservative supporters on Thursday night had something to rejoice about regardless of whether they backed the Chiefs or the Lions.
