At this point in the NFL calendar, the schedule starts to get a bit light. After the requisite OTAs/Mandatory Mini-Camps, teams will break for the rest of the summer, all trying to get in that last bit of rest and/or work before late July and the opening of training camp. Most will call this the NFL “Dead Zone”, whereby there is practically nothing going on in the NFL, as teams await training camp and the ramp up to the regular season.
Yet, while the NFL calendar might be a bit sparse, that does not
mean that the world is barren for events and milestones. This weekend represents one of the big milestones/markers of the American calendar with Memorial Day. It represents a couple of things. One aspect centers on it as the unofficial gateway to summer, with the weather generally summer-ish (depending on what part of the country you reside) and a good deal of the schools released for the summer. The other, and most important aspect of the holiday, is a time set aside for remembering those Americans who fought and died for this country. Parades, mass flag-planting efforts in cemeteries/memorials upon the markers for those who served and all sorts of tributes will dominate the weekend, as they should. While the official holiday is the last Monday in May, the holiday tends to encompass the full weekend.
Looping this back to the NFL, the league is noted for his honoring of service and military members. In the over 100-year history of the NFL, there have been many players and personnel involved with military service. It is estimated that over 1000 players in the history of the NFL served in the respective Armed Forces. Some of the more noted names include Tom Landry (USAAF, WWII), Chuck Bednarik (USAAF, WWII), Roger Staubach (USN, Vietnam), Rocky Bleier (USA, Vietnam) and Pat Tillman (USA, OEF/GWOT). Along with those players/coaches/executives/team staffers who served, the NFL plays a significant role in morale for military personnel. Support for the military from the NFL ranges from the respective USO visits by league personnel, to the Salute to Service initiatives, to just being a major focal point for non-duty related conversations/activities. Having been on a few deployments myself, I can attest that the NFL was a major topic of discussion when not worried about mission/taskings. Granted, the NFL initiatives are not all altruistic, but that there is a strong connection is undeniable.
Of the 1000 or so players who served, 26 died while serving. Of those, most of them (23) died during World War II. Two lost their lives in Vietnam and in the most recent example, Pat Tillman, was killed while serving in Afghanistan in 2004. The Houston franchises (Oilers, Texans) have not had a player serve and die in the line of duty. For the Texans, the following players in the history of the franchise served in some capacity in the US Armed Forces:
- S CC Brown: (Mississippi National Guard)
- LS Harrison Elliott (Air Force Active Duty)
While Memorial Day is primarily for the honored dead, veterans and those currently serving will also get their due this weekend. It is a time of celebration, but it is important to remember what such celebrations can cost and what must be paid to ensure we can celebrate. So, enjoy this holiday weekend as much as able, but take some time to consider the reasons why we have this special weekend. As always, please celebrate responsibly. We want to see everyone back from the holiday in the same condition if not better. Especially for this season, which promises to be perhaps one of the most consequential in franchise history.
