Week 1 Game Activations, Community Service Initiatives and Storytelling Efforts Will Recognize the Lasting Legacy of 9/11 and Inspire Future Generations
NFL Foundation, New York Giants, New York Jets and Washington Commanders Provide Joint $1 Million Donation to National September 11 Memorial & Museum
NEW YORK – Sept. 2, 2026 – This September, the National Football League and its 32 clubs will honor the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001, through a series of commemorative efforts in communities across the globe.
“We continue to honor the memory of those we lost on September 11 and the heroes whose courage and sacrifice inspired our nation,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “Out of unimaginable tragedy emerged an extraordinary sense of unity and service that brought Americans together. As the NFL family reflects on this day 25 years later, we remember those who were taken from us and support those who continue to carry the pain of that day. We also recommit ourselves to the spirit of resilience, community, and service that remains an enduring example for future generations.”
League-Wide Activations Throughout Week 1
As part of the league’s commemoration, all Week 1 games will feature tributes designed to honor the lives lost, recognize survivors, first responders and military families, and connect fans to the lasting message of remembrance and service that emerged after September 11. NFL clubs will participate through in-stadium moments, broadcast integrations – including live national anthem coverage across 1 p.m. ET games – and community engagement efforts throughout the week.
Planned league-wide efforts include in-stadium branding and “Never Forget” end zone stencils, remembrance messaging and volunteer activities connected to the 9/11 Day of Service. Game officials will use special 9/11 tribute-branded coins for the coin toss, which will later be auctioned on the NFL Auction platform to benefit the league’s September 11 charitable partners.
During the NFL’s first-ever regular season game in Australia, pregame ceremonies will honor the 25th anniversary of 9/11 with U.S. and Australian color guards and large-field flag presentations featuring U.S. Marines, Navy personnel and Australian service members. Through its Salute to Service partnership with TAPS, the NFL Foundation will also support weeklong activities for military families of the fallen with a connection to 9/11, including a ceremony at Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance and on-field recognition before the game.
In addition, several tributes will take place during the first Sunday Night Football game of the season, when the New York Giants host the Dallas Cowboys. Players, coaches and staff from both teams will wear commemorative NYPD, FDNY and PAPD hats on the sideline in recognition of the first responders who served on September 11 and in the days that followed. Players and coaches from both teams will also wear special 9/11-branded “Never Forget” T-shirts during pregame warmups. Giants-branded versions of the caps will be available for purchase at the team store, with proceeds benefiting the respective agencies.
Charitable Donations and Community Service
The NFL Foundation, in partnership with the New York Giants, New York Jets and Washington Commanders, will make a joint $1 million contribution to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. The investment reflects a shared commitment to preserving the legacy of September 11 and ensuring future generations understand the historical significance of that day, the lives affected and the acts of courage and service that followed.
The NFL Foundation will further direct an added $250,000 grant to 9/11 Day, the nonprofit that each year inspires tens of millions of Americans of all ages to volunteer and do good deeds in observance of the federally recognized September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance.
The NFL Foundation will also financially support two additional initiatives focused on preserving and sharing the legacy of September 11: a collaboration with Riptoes on a youth education program centered on 9/11 remembrance and stories of observance, unity, volunteerism, community, and service, as well as a StoryCorps initiative – in partnership with Voices Center for Resilience – to help families memorialize loved ones lost on that day.
The NFL family will also participate in volunteer activities connected to the September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance to honor the spirit of compassion and unity that emerged in the aftermath of the attacks. League staff, players, legends, clubs and partners will take part in service projects across multiple markets, including a joint volunteer initiative with league partners Comcast NBCUniversal and American Express aboard the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City.
In addition, nearly half of the NFL’s clubs will partner directly with 9/11 Day to participate in service projects in their communities, including nine clubs – the Arizona Cardinals, Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans – that are hosting projects at their stadiums.
NFL Films Tribute
As America recognizes the 25th anniversary of 9/11, NFL Films Presents tells the remarkable story of three seemingly unconnected men whose 9/11 stories and legacies intertwined against the backdrop of Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.
Philadelphia Eagles General Manager Howie Roseman, retired New York City firefighter Gary Bulger and lifelong NFL fan Jonathan Reiss each tell their personal 9/11 experiences of shock, loss and sacrifice, and recount the convergence of their stories in New Orleans nearly 25 years later.
The feature will premiere on Wednesday, September 9, on FS1 and will also be available on the NFL Films YouTube channel.
The NFL’s recognition of the 25th anniversary of September 11 reflects the league’s enduring belief in the power of sport to bring people together. Through remembrance, service and education, the NFL family will honor those affected by the tragedy and reaffirm its commitment to preserving the lessons and legacy of that day for years to come.