Every June 19, professional sports teams, including NFL teams across America, post about Juneteenth on social media. The federal holiday honors June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers told enslaved Black Americans in Galveston, Texas, that they were free. President Biden made it a federal holiday in 2021.
While 31 of the 32 teams shared a post this past Friday, the only team that remained silent was the Detroit Lions. Given their market and previous campaigns, this silence looks a bit strange for some
Detroit Lions are the only NFL team to skip Juneteenth
The Lions had acknowledged Pride Month on social media, releasing rainbow-colored Pride Month gear featuring their lion logo. But posted nothing on a day significant to many Black Americans.
Mar 30, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell during the 2026 NFL Annual League Meeting at the Arizona Biltmore. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
OutKick’s Armando Salguero, who first flagged the strange snub, highlighted the contradiction, penning, “The one NFL team that did not acknowledge Juneteenth on Friday was the Detroit Lions. This is a weird one. The Lions are not typically a team that flies counter to recognizing social justice causes. Indeed, the club changed its logo during Pride Month by painting its lion in rainbow colors as a tip of the proverbial cap to the LGBTQ community.”
Lions have not shared the reason behind their silence. Even head coach Dan Campbell remained silent. and it breaks from league policy.
In 2020, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell made Juneteenth an official holiday, closing league offices and urging teams to reflect and work toward a better future. Every other NFL franchise has largely followed that lead every year until Friday, when Motor City went quiet.
Furthermore, when Pride Month began on June 1, nine NFL teams chose not to post about it: the Jets, Steelers, Browns, Bengals, Titans, Chiefs, Raiders, Cowboys, and Saints. The Lions did not join that group. They did post for Pride but skipped Juneteenth. Their abrupt move has raised significant eyebrows across the community.
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