Vikings to recognize family of George Floyd before Week 1 game

The death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minnesota police officer re-sparked the revolution of the Black Lives Matter and racial equality movements. With the causes being just as important as the Civil Rights movement that began in 1954, professional athletes and teams are speaking out against racial injustice and police brutality. 

During the first game of the 2020 NFL season, the Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans locked arms in a stance of unity for the Black Lives Matter movement. More teams are expected to take a stand as Week 1 games continue, and that includes the Minnesota Vikings, who were especially hurt by Floyd's death.

The Vikings announced Friday that they will recognize Floyd's family inside U.S. Bank Stadium following the performance of "Lift Every Voice and Sing" prior to Sunday's opener against the Green Bay Packers. 

That's not all they're doing to bring awareness to the issue of racism and injustice, though. During pregame warmups, players will wear custom shirts with "Be the Change" on the front and the names of 200 individuals who have been killed by acts of racism or police brutality on the back.

End zones also will be marked with phrases such as "It Takes All of Us" and "End Racism." This will be a league-wide message across all clubs for Week 1 and home openers. 

Players also will have the option to wear helmet decals with social justice related messages or the name of a victim of systemic racism. The decals can be worn for Week 1 and the duration of the 2020 season. Coaches also will have the opportunity to wear similar patches on their hats if they choose. 

The Vikings and Packers are scheduled to kickoff at 1 p.m. on Sunday.