Sunday Night Football Makes Decision On The National Anthem

01/05/2025 08:41 PM

Sunday Night Football between the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings is underway on NBC. The Week 18 NFL regular season finale is shaping up to be a good one. The 14-2 Lions are taking on the 14-2 Vikings with the NFC North - and No. 1 overall seed in the NFC - on the line.

Prior to kickoff, the Ford Field crowd held a moment of silence for the tragedy that took place in New Orleans. A U.S. citizen drove his truck onto a crowded Bourbon Street early on New Year's Day, killing 14 people and injuring dozens of others. 

The NFL held a moment of silence for the tragedy prior to kickoff at Sunday Night Football. The moment of silence was shown on the air by NBC. However, the national anthem at Ford Field was not shown to completion.

NFL fans are not happy about that.

NFL fans were quick to criticize NBC's "Sunday Night Football" for the decision.

"It used to be back in the day that networks airing football games always showed the National Anthem. Tonight again on NBC they showed the moment of Silence for those in NOLA, which yes I'm glad they did however, immediately after they went to commercial. Slap in face!" one fan wrote.

"I will listen to the game on the radio since you decided not to show the National Anthem. What a joke," one fan added.

"NBC showed the moment of silence but not the national anthem. Commercials are more important than the national anthem apparently," one fan added.

"Lost ALL RESPECT for NBC SPORTS as they cut away from National Anthem THATS BS you are considered THE NATIONAL BROADCASTING COMPANY and should ALWAYS play the NATIONAL ANTHEM anytime it is played at a sporting event," one fan added.

TV networks rarely show the national anthem before games, unless it's a huge one. But you would think that given what happened in New Orleans this week, networks would change their protocols.

Apparently not, though...