Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Tyler Eifert will pay tribute to slain former St. Louis Police Department Capt. David Dorn.
Eifert will honor Dorn on his helmet, according to Alex Triantafilou, the chairman of the Hamilton County, Ohio, Republican Party.
“Got some very good news from former @Bengals player/current @Jaguars player @tylereifert that he will honor fallen police officer David Dorn on his helmet,” the former prosecutor wrote on social media. “Always been a fan of Tyler’s and God bless him!”
Got some very good news from former @Bengals player/current @Jaguars player @tylereifert that he will honor fallen police officer David Dorns on his helmet. Always been a fan of Tyler’s and God bless him!
— Alex Triantafilou (@ChairmanAlex) August 31, 2020
Football players will be permitted to honor victims of “police violence and/or systemic racism” on their helmets during the 2020 season. Players can select the names of eligible honorees from an approved list, according to NBC Sports. That list is set to include the subject of many recent protests, including George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery.
Sports leagues, including the NFL, NBA, and NHL, have canceled games in the wake of the shooting of Jacob Blake while a growing number of athletes are choosing to kneel during renditions of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
In a 2016 article, Eifert explained his decision to stand for the national anthem, saying it was a way to honor the armed forces.
“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.”
During the 2016 season, Eifert wrote Pat Tillman’s name on his cleats for the opening game. In 2002, Tillman quit his professional football career, turned down a $3.6 million contract, and enlisted in the Army. He was killed in Afghanistan two years later. Throughout the 2016 season, Eifert highlighted the sacrifice of servicemen on his cleats.
