NFL skips Pride Month post while rivals acknowledge

The National Football League did not post any message recognizing the start of Pride Month on its primary social media accounts on June 1, a departure from its practice in previous years. The league’s official X and Instagram accounts, with a combined audience exceeding 68 million followers, remained silent on the occasion while instead posting about football-related news, including player trades and the passing of a former star.

This absence of a league-wide post contrasted with the actions of other major professional sports organizations. Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, and the National Hockey League all acknowledged the beginning of Pride Month on their main social media channels on Monday. The NHL altered its logo to incorporate rainbow colors for the month.

The NFL stated that it continues to support LGBTQ communities through its website, community initiatives, and year-round programming, and that it anticipates highlighting related content and celebrations throughout June. The league does not mandate that individual teams post about Pride Month, leaving the decision to each franchise.

At the team level, nearly three-quarters of the NFL’s 32 clubs...