Tyler Eifert To Honor Fallen Retired Cop David Dorn

Tyler Eifert To Honor Fallen Retired Cop David Dorn

One NFL player has decided to pay tribute to a fallen police officer next season.

Tyler Eifert will honor slain retired cop David Dorn with a decal on his helmet.

The Jacksonville Jaguars tight end will wear the homage to the former St. Louis police captain at various points throughout this coming 2020 NFL season, though at this stage no specifics have been announced.

Dorn, a 38-year veteran, was shot and killed while attempting to defend a business back on June 2^nd during a series of protests that erupted following the death of George Floyd. His death received a lot of coverage on conservative media outlets, and very little from liberal ones. Many viewed it as a notable symbol of the divide that exists between the two sides.

Hamilton County Republican Party Chairman Alex Triantafilou revealed what Eifert was planning to do in a tweet on Thursday.

“Good some very news,” he wrote. “[Eifert] will honor fallen police David Dorn on his helmet.”

Triantafilou was quick to note that actions like these are why he has consistently been a supporter of Eifert’s.

“Always been a fan of Tyler’s and God bless him,” he added.

NBA ratings noticeably declined after last week’s stoppage. https://t.co/DzvGJoEOjh

— Game 7 (@game7__) September 2, 2020

Tyler Eifert Has Always Been Big On Patriotism

Eifert is no stranger to public patriotic gestures. Back in 2017, he refused to join Colin Kaepernick in kneeling for the National Anthem.

“I stand because I want to honor the people putting their lives on the line for me on a daily basis in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard,” Eifert wrote at the time.

“I stand because my cousin is a pilot in the United States Air Force, risking his life flying F-15s in active war zones. He takes pride in his job protecting Americans, a sacrifice that all members of every branch of the United States military willfully take.”

Eifert also wore a pair of cleats last season to honor former Arizona Cardinals safety Pat Tillman, who died in 2004 while serving in the U.S. Army Rangers.

Time for the Dolphins to panic?https://t.co/eagedoAOZw

— Game 7 (@game7__) September 2, 2020

NFL Allowing Political Messaging This Year

The NFL opened the floodgates for political messaging earlier this year when they permitted players to have decals on their helmets with names representing victims of systemic racism and violence.

Following the June announcement, there were some questions regarding just how specifically players would utilize the opportunity.

While it remains to be seen what names are selected by others, Eifert’s decision will certainly be an interesting test of the system.

Names like “George Floyd” and “Breonna Taylor” are expected to be commonly selected.

If players opt not to go with names, they also have the option of choosing phrases. “Stop Hate”; ”It Takes All Of Us”; “End Racism”; or “Black Lives Matter,” are among the choices available.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has been much more welcoming of political messaging as of late. A staunch opponent of Kaepernick’s for many years, he suddenly did a complete 180 this year and admitted that he no longer felt the way he used to.

What prompted this change of attitude is unclear.

The fusion of politics and sports is considered to be one of the factors weighing heavily on NBA TV ratings in recent times. It will be interesting to see if something similar happens to the NFL in 2020, or if America’s most popular sports league will continue to thrive in the face of all opposition.

Related: As NBA Ratings Mysteriously Fall, UFC Ratings Rise

Anthony Amador

A graduate from the University of Texas, Anthony Amador has been credentialed to cover the Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and high school games all over the Lone Star State. Currently, his primary beats are the NBA, MLB, NFL and UFC.