Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Tyler Eifert honored retired St. Louis Police Department Capt. David Dorn on his helmet.
“Great win to start the season. Love being a part of this new team and community! It was honor wearing David Dorns name on my helmet today! #DUUUVAL,” Eifert posted Sunday on Twitter.
Great win to start the season. Love being a part of this new team and community! It was honor wearing David Dorns name on my helmet today! #DUUUVAL pic.twitter.com/cJYtadhVuS
— Tyler Eifert (@tylereifert) September 14, 2020
The 38-year veteran of the St. Louis Police Department was killed amid riots in June. He was found outside a friend’s pawnshop after visiting the store to check on an alarm.
His widow, Ann Dorn, gave an emotional speech at the Republican National Convention and said she relives the “horror” of her husband’s death on a daily basis. She said she hoped her speech would help shake America from the “nightmare we are witnessing in our cities” and “bring about positive, peaceful change.”
The NFL announced that players would be permitted to honor victims of “police violence and/or systemic racism” on their helmets during the 2020 season. Players were able to select the names of eligible honorees from an approved list, which also reportedly included George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery.
The New Orleans Saints, for example, honored Jacob Blake, a man who was shot and paralyzed by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin, last month by displaying his name on their helmets during practice.
The Steelers will wear helmets inscribed with Antwon Rose Jr.’s name, a 17-year-old who was killed by Pittsburgh police in 2018, which sparked protests in the city.
Eifert has a history of supporting the armed forces, saying in a 2017 post on Medium that his decision to stand for the national anthem was a way to honor the troops.
“I stand because I want to honor the people putting their lives on the line for me on a daily basis in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard,” he wrote, adding, “I stand because my cousin is a pilot in the United States Air Force, risking his life flying F-15s in active war zones. He takes pride in his job protecting Americans, a sacrifice that all members of every branch of the United States military willfully take.”
Throughout the 2016 season, Eifert highlighted the sacrifice of service members on his cleats, including former NFL star Pat Tillman, who quit his football career in 2002 to join the Army. Tillman was killed in Afghanistan in 2002.
The Jaguars defeated the Colts, 27-20.
