American Exceptionalism has taken the world of sports by storm after the traumatic events of the
September 11, 2001 attacks. In one of the first NFL games after 9/11, the New England Patriots
played the New York Jets. The attacks were honored by Joe Andruzzi’s three brothers who came
out as honorary captains for the game; these men were firefighters in the attacks and ran into the
smoke in an attempt to save lives on the catastrophic day (McKessy, 2023). They waved their
helmets in the air, and received an applaud like none other. There was a feeling of hope and unity
during a time of grief. Patriotism is essential for a unified nation, and without it the ability to
recover after traumatic events would be impossible. Major sporting events, such as American
Football, have the ability to bring people together under any circumstance with the idea of
reinforcing the ideology that is American Exceptionalism.
The representation of the United States Military within the NFL is significant to American Patriotism because it represents strength, unity and the expression of American power that can be shown through major sporting events. The NFL says “Since 2011, more than $58 million have been raised for the NFL’s Salute to Service partners to support and uplift the nation’s military community through resources, programming, recognition and unique experiences that take place within the U.S. and across the world” (NFL Operations, 2022). Clearly the relationship between the NFl and the U.S. Military is absolute. They go hand in hand in order to benefit each other as well as to represent each other to the public. Similarly, the NFL is seen as a platform for propagating the military. “This omnipotence of militarism plays a key role in crafting how everyday Americans feel about the military, leading to a sense of reverence for US militarism that manufactures public consent for ongoing American neo imperialism military interventions in the Middle East and across the globe” (Swope, 2021). For example, in 2021, there was a pregame ceremony that acknowledged the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks (Swope, 2021). Here, we see how the U.S Military propagates itself by remembering and honoring events that have altered American society; this keeps civilians feeling positive towards the serving members and creates patriotic football fans as well. The National Anthem was not always as important or as recognized as it is now, this is because of the rise of Militarism in the NFL. Before the Iraq War, NFL players were not required to have left the locker room. However, after the Iraq war, it became required for players to be on the field during the anthem. Eventually, the Department of Defense started paying sports teams millions of dollars (U.S. Tax Dollars) for what came to be known as “paid patriotism” or “mega military”. There was evidence that this excessive sponsorship was with the purpose to market and advertise the military for recruitment purposes (Beale, 2017). With this in mind, it is important to recognize the efforts that the U.S Military makes towards the NFL; and while paying for propaganda is quite controversial, the relationship that the NFL has with the U.S. Military is organized in order to create an exceptionalism mindset in American sports society.
The representation of the United States Military within the NFL is significant to American Patriotism because it represents strength, unity and the expression of American power that can be shown through major sporting events. The NFL says “Since 2011, more than $58 million have been raised for the NFL’s Salute to Service partners to support and uplift the nation’s military community through resources, programming, recognition and unique experiences that take place within the U.S. and across the world” (NFL Operations, 2022). Clearly the relationship between the NFl and the U.S. Military is absolute. They go hand in hand in order to benefit each other as well as to represent each other to the public. Similarly, the NFL is seen as a platform for propagating the military. “This omnipotence of militarism plays a key role in crafting how everyday Americans feel about the military, leading to a sense of reverence for US militarism that manufactures public consent for ongoing American neo imperialism military interventions in the Middle East and across the globe” (Swope, 2021). For example, in 2021, there was a pregame ceremony that acknowledged the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks (Swope, 2021). Here, we see how the U.S Military propagates itself by remembering and honoring events that have altered American society; this keeps civilians feeling positive towards the serving members and creates patriotic football fans as well. The National Anthem was not always as important or as recognized as it is now, this is because of the rise of Militarism in the NFL. Before the Iraq War, NFL players were not required to have left the locker room. However, after the Iraq war, it became required for players to be on the field during the anthem. Eventually, the Department of Defense started paying sports teams millions of dollars (U.S. Tax Dollars) for what came to be known as “paid patriotism” or “mega military”. There was evidence that this excessive sponsorship was with the purpose to market and advertise the military for recruitment purposes (Beale, 2017). With this in mind, it is important to recognize the efforts that the U.S Military makes towards the NFL; and while paying for propaganda is quite controversial, the relationship that the NFL has with the U.S. Military is organized in order to create an exceptionalism mindset in American sports society.
The NFL has shown time and time again that they stand with the U.S. military and strives to promote patriotism within the league in any way they can. An example of this came just recently this year, during the coin toss of Super Bowl LVII. In the 1998 NFL draft, a young stand-out player from Arizona State University was selected in the 7th round at pick number 226 by the Arizona Cardinals. This player’s name was Pat Tillman, and he was known for being a leader amongst his teammates both on and off the field, “engaging his friends and family with curiosity and embracing a life of service beyond self,” (Miele, 2023). Tillman played 3 seasons with the Arizona Cardinals before his career was cut short. In 2002, Tillman was inspired by the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, and gave up his NFL career to enlist in the United States Army. He was set to serve a 3-year term with the Army, until it was ultimately and tragically cut short. Tillman sadly lost his life serving the country in Afghanistan on April 22, 2004. After this tragic event his spouse, Marie Tillman, started the Pat Tillman foundation to keep his spirit alive and veterans, service members, and spouses get the support they need. “The NFL partners with the Pat Tillman Foundation, which provides more than $24 million in academic scholarships, lifelong leadership development, and community to more than 800 Tillman Scholars,” (Miele, 2023). In the most recent Super Bowl, which was played in Arizona on February 12, 2023, the NFL elected 4 Pat Tillman scholars to represent the foundation for the honorary coin toss to kick off the game. These scholars were Fabersha Flynt, Robert Ham, Dave Prakash, and HyeJung Park. “All four Tillman Scholars were selected for their dedication and vision to creating a better tomorrow, as well as the sacrifices they made for our nation,” (Miele, 2023). The NFL has had this relationship with the United States military for quite some time, showcasing it in a variety of ways and making sure to promote their service whenever possible. The league showcases its values and makes sure the general public knows. With that, it is clear how the league advertises itself and American exceptionalism with its support for America’s troops.
With these stories and points in mind, it is clear how the National Football League showcases its patriotism and exemplifies American exceptionalism. From the National Anthem, to the massive American flags on display for stadiums, and the foundations the NFL supports, they push this concept of American exceptionalism strongly to show their support for the United States. With American football being the biggest sport in the U.S., it makes sense why they would believe so strongly towards patriotism. These displays of patriotism help to unite a country and also create a sense of hope when the United States is in a time of national grief.
References
Beale, S. (2017, September 27). The Real Problem: The Militarization of the NFL. The American Conservative. https://www.theamericanconservative.com/the-real-problem-the-militarization-of-the-nfl/
Berr, J. (2018, May 28). NFL’s tangled ties with national anthem don’t run deep. CBS News.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-nfls-tangled-ties-with-the-national-anthem-dont-run-deep/
Hill, K. (2023, September 14). The NFL’s ‘take a knee’ movement and its impact on workplace protest. CU Boulder Today.
https://www.colorado.edu/today/2023/09/14/nfls-take-knee-movement-and-its-impact-workplace-
McKessy, J. (n.d.). After 9/11, these 3 sports moments helped bring country together. USA TODAY. Retrieved November 17, 2023, from https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2023/09/11/sports-moments-brought-us-together-after-911/70821527007/
Miele, N. (2023, January 27). NFL selects four Pat Tillman Foundation scholars to serve as honorary captains for Super Bowl LVII. Pat Tillman Foundation. https://pattillmanfoundation.org/news-media/nfl-selects-four-pat-tillman-foundation-scholars-to-serve-as-honorary-captains-for-super-bowl-lvii/
Swope, P. (2021, November 22). Gridiron Imperialism: How the NFL Propagandizes for the US Military. Brown Political Review. https://brownpoliticalreview.org/2021/11/gridiron-imperialism-how-the-nfl-propagandizes-for-the-us-military/
Williamham, A. (2017, September 25). NFL players kneel during the national anthem as Trump fumes. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2017/09/25/us/nfl-national-anthem-trump-kaepernick-history-trnd/index.html
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The NFL Continues its Commitment to the Military Community Through Salute to Service | NFL Football Operations. (2022, November 4). Operations.nfl.com. https://operations.nfl.com/updates/football-ops/the-nfl-continues-its-commitment-to-the-military-community-through-salute-to-service/#:~:text=Since%202011%2C%20more%20than%20%2458
The Myth of American Exceptionalism within sports in a post 9/11 world 
