Kansas City Chiefs Fans Booed a Moment of Unity, Proving How Far the NFL Has to Go

The Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs opened the NFL season in front of a partial crowd at Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday night. Before the game, the Chiefs locked arms on their sideline with just Alex Okafor kneeling during the National Anthem. The Texans chose to remain inside their locker room before coming out to join the Chiefs at midfield for a moment of unity.

There was booing.

I thought it started when Houston came out of the locker room, but it was definitely heard during the moment of unity. The players heard it. JJ Watt called it "unfortunate."

Were they simply booing the Texans? Were they booing unity? The league's new social justice mentality? It doesn't really matter. This was the definition of "read the room."

There's been a lot going on over the last six months. Did these people not see that the seats were mostly empty? If you were lucky enough to attend the season opener after months of not really being sure it would even take place, how about be happy as you watch your defending champions kick the crap out of the visitor for three hours? Or short of that, just don't be openly hostile towards anyone? Just be cool for once in your life.

It doesn't matter why they were booing. This is the only way to perceive it. It has nothing to do with the flag or the troops. Booing during during the moment of unity proved that, as if people with functioning brains didn't already know that. You don't get the benefit of the doubt here. Not now. Not after everything this country has been through since George Floyd's murder.

Opening night is supposed to be a celebration. During a pandemic you would think people would feel that way even more. Instead, they booed. They expressed displeasure with what they were seeing and all they were seeing was a bunch of guys saying we're in this together. A vocal number of football fans are clearly not.