It made perfect sense for the NFL teams based in Texas to contribute $500,000 each to rescue and relief efforts from the catastrophic flooding that has claimed many lives and caused widespread deduction. Now, a team not tied to Texas is matching what the Cowboys and Texans did.
The Vikings and the Wilf family have also contributed $500,000 to the effort. The team announced the move on Wednesday.
“We are [deeply saddened](https://x.com/Vikings/status/1943026292716396548) by the continued devastation and loss of life in the Texas Hill Country and can’t imagine the pain so many are facing,” Vikings owners Mark, Zygi, and Leonard Wilf said in a statement. “We are praying for peace for the families who have lost a loved one and strength for those who continue to risk their lives leading the rescue and recovery effort.”
It’s an impressive gesture by the Vikings, and it hopefully will cause other NFL teams to follow suit. Texas is a hotbed of football, with its Friday Night Lights a feeder system for a broad array of college programs in the state, which funnel plenty of great players to the NFL.
Regardless of whether other teams jump in, it’s a great gesture from a team that is headquartered a long way away from where the flooding has happened. And it’s a reminder that, even though we all live in our own states, we are all Americans.