Fact Check: Did Andy Reid and Mike Tomlin join hands to ban 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' at NFL games?
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI: A claim that Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid and Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin have joined forces to ban 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' from being played at NFL games has been doing the rounds of social media platforms.
To give some context, the song has been performed at select NFL games since 2020, as part of the league’s efforts to promote social justice. 'Lift Every Voice and Sing', which was written by James Weldon Johnson in 1900, is often referred to as the Black National Anthem.
Previously, a similar claim about the NFL banning 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' from being played at games went viral, but it was swiftly debunked. However, this time, the names of revered coaches Reid and Tomlin have been tied to a similar claim, so let's check if there's any truth behind it.
Claim: Andy Reid and Mike Tomlin have joined forces to ban 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' from being played at NFL games
The viral claim involving Chiefs' coach Andy Reid and Steelers' coach Mike Tomlin first surfaced on Facebook in November.
The Facebook page shared a collage of the two coaches seemingly engaged in a serious discussion, alongside an image of players singing the Black anthem, with the caption, "Chiefs Coach Joins Tomlin in Banning 'Black National Anthem': 'Only One Flag, One Anthem!'" The post has since garnered over 900 comments.
On December 11, the website SpaceXMania published an article titled, "Chiefs Coach and Coach Tomlin Stand Together in Banning Black National Anthem: 'One Flag, One Anthem,'" further fueling speculation about a ban.
"The ongoing debate over the inclusion of the Black National Anthem at sporting events has seen significant developments, with two prominent NFL coaches now taking a firm stance on the issue," the article claimed.
It further stated, "Chiefs head coach Andy Reid recently expressed his full support for Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin's decision to ban the playing of 'Lift Every Voice and Sing,' the Black National Anthem, at games. The stance of both coaches is clear: 'One Flag, One Anthem.'"
While the origin of the viral claim is unclear, it continues to circulate across multiple Facebook pages and other social media platforms, including Threads.
Fact check: The viral claim involving Andy Reid and Mike Tomlin has no basis
Based on the article and the various posts, many people appeared to believe it, however, a closer investigation revealed it to be false.
At the end of the article, SpaceXMania states, "This Is SATIRE, It’s Not TRUE."
Moreover, the website's "About Us" page reads, "Welcome to our website, owned and operated by Funky Productions LLC. We are a team of writers and editors based in New York, USA. Our mission? To bring you the freshest fake news, some sassy analysis, and a good dose of satire, all rolled into one crazy concoction that orbits around Elon Musk and everything that's lighting up the viral/trending charts."
The website's disclaimer page also states, "All the information on this website – SpaceXMania.com – is published in good faith and for general information purposes only. SpaceXMania does not make any warranties about the completeness, reliability, and accuracy of this information."
On top of that, no reputable news sources have reported on the alleged involvement of Reid and Tomlin in banning the Black Anthem, 'Lift Every Voice and Sing', from being played at NFL games, according to the fact-checking website Snopes.
