The annual June 1 kickoff to Pride Month came and went on Monday and the NFL’s X account that serves over 36 million followers and its account that serves 32 million followers did not mention the event.
Let that sink in for a moment.
The league accounts that, in the past years, have told fans that “football is gay,” that “football is lesbian,” that football is queer, transgender, bisexual and, for everyone, were silent on the issue. The National Football League’s social media accounts this year stuck to, well, football.
The league posted about the to the Los Angeles Rams. About the A.J. Brown trade to the New England Patriots. About Odell Beckham signing with the New York Giants. And Raymond Berry dying.
So, this may mean something.
Or nothing.
For conservatives, Christians and others, it is a small victory they hope extends throughout the entire month and eventually to the league’s individual teams, most of which embraced Pride Month on its first day. Nine of the 32 teams did not recognize Pride Month on Monday.
For some gay activists, the NFL’s action (or inaction) on social media on Monday means they’re hoping some admin corrects an oversight as early as Tuesday morning. Otherwise, it’s a big loss for those activists that want their sexuality celebrated and amplified by the .
Whatever it means, this is where we are in 2026: , individuals, and yes, sports leagues are being watched on the first day of Pride Month to see how they handle the divisive issue.
We say divisive because there are no winners amid the scrutiny. Recognizing the month or opting out sends a message that upsets somebody regardless of the choice.
Major League Baseball, the and even the NHL recognized the start of Pride Month on Monday. The professional hockey league did so by changing its logo to rainbow colors â a betrayal of its own corporate branding.
So, the NFL was different than its professional sports counterparts for at least one day. It was also different than it has been in the past when it did salute Pride Month on its first day and even once came up with celebrating LGBTQ history month.
This doesn’t mean the NFL is no longer supporting gay issues. It supports those all year long on its website and via other means, including fundraising events and promotions. But this messaging omission this time â intentional or otherwise â was notable.
As to the league’s teams, the nine teams that declined to mention Pride Month are generally the same group that have done so in the past.
The New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals, Tennessee Titans, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints did not recognize Pride Month on social media. Most of those did not last year, either.
And this is where we remind you, this is a snapshot in time. The NFL may offer a Pride Month nod in the coming hours or days after publication of this piece. The teams that opted out might as easily opt in over the coming days.
The , for example, have been back and forth on the Pride Month celebration posts the past two years. But they were the NFL’s first team to post about Pride Month this year.
And why do we count? Because we live in an increasingly populist society where one side insists it must celebrate its sexuality and wants others to join in, and the other side has increasingly resisted and, in the extreme, believes the celebration of one sexuality over an entire month is insufferable.
All one has to do is read the replies to the teams to understand both of those are so.
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