National Pride That Makes Progressives Uncomfortable

In a scene that reminded everyone of America’s deepest values—faith, unity, and gratitude—the Alabama team delivered one of the most talked-about moments of the NFL weekend. Just before kickoff, every player knelt together on the field, joined hands, and lifted a prayer to God. There were no speeches, no political slogans, no signs. Just a moment of silence, humility, and thankfulness.

What should have been celebrated as an act of faith and brotherhood instead became, for some progressive circles, a source of discomfort and criticism. The very same media outlets and commentators who often praise any “defiant” expression within sports were quick to label the scene as “unnecessary,” “divisive,” or even “offensive.”

The irony is clear: the progressives who claim to defend “freedom of expression” in sports seem to have one condition—that such freedom must not include God or patriotism. When a player kneels to protest the flag or uses the field for ideological activism, headlines call it “bravery.” But when a group of athletes kneels to pray—peacefully and sincerely—the same voices accuse them of “imposing beliefs.”

The Alabama team’s gesture was quite the opposite: a powerful display of respect, unity, and national pride. In a country struggling with growing polarization, these players reminded millions of viewers that there is still room for the transcendent. That before competing, winning, or losing, there remains a higher value—gratitude.

For many Americans, that image represented something far greater than sports. It was a silent but powerful statement that faith still belongs in public life, even when some try to erase it from the cultural map. It was a reminder that the values that built this nation—God, family, hard work, and community—are still alive on the field, in the locker room, and in the hearts of those unafraid to show it.

The Alabama players weren’t making a political statement; they were doing what millions do every day before facing a challenge—putting their trust in God. And no matter how hard some may try to distort the meaning of that act, the truth remains simple and clear: there is nothing more American than bowing one’s head, joining hands in prayer, and recognizing that, above all, there is something greater than ourselves.

Because at the end of the day, that is what true national pride looks like—not just singing the anthem or waving a flag, but remembering that a nation’s spirit grows stronger when its men and women dare to give thanks, together, before the battle begins.