The Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans kicked off the 2020 NFL season by holding a moment of unity against racism together on the field at Arrowhead Stadium only to have boos heard from the Kansas City crowd.
The visiting Texans were not on the field for “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and the National Anthem while the Chiefs remained on the field for both. The boos began after the Texans returned to the field to join the Chiefs during a moment of silence and a show of unity.
“Please join us in a moment of silence dedicated to the ongoing fight for equality in our country,” the announcer at the stadium stated ahead of the moment.
Boos, lasting about 5 to 10 seconds, could be heard from the crowd as the Chiefs linked arms and the Texans made their way to the middle of the field to join them. It’s unclear if the fans were booing the Texans for not being on the field for the National Anthem or if the boos were directed at the moment of unity.
With Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson standing in the center, the two teams formed a chain with players and staff by linking arms.
The crowd eventually applauded once the chain was formed, and the teams then broke apart to get ready for kickoff.
