The Dallas Cowboys tried to promote unity and togetherness in their community … until the NFL said they couldn’t.
The Dallas Morning News reported the NFL won’t allow the Cowboys to wear the “Arm in Arm” decal on their helmets, a sticker promoting unity betwen the police and the public in the Dallas area after a shooter killed five officers and wounded nine others on July 7.
However, the NFL said Wednesday that the decals are a violation of the league’s uniform policy, and the Cowboys won’t be allowed to wear the decals for preseason or regular-season games.
“Everyone has to be uniform with the league and the other 31 teams,” Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said Wednesday, per the Morning News. “We respect their decision.”
Here’s the decal in question.
It might seem insensitive or even callous for the NFL to crack down on an otherwise thoughtful gesture, but allowing one team to do so opens the door for others to do the same, which could be a slippery slope. Jones admitted as much earlier in camp.
“There are so many wonderful, wonderful cases, the league has to be careful,” he said, according to the Morning News. “If you allow one, then what do you do about every team that has a great reason to have something on their helmets?”
In addition to the decals, the Cowboys also honored Dallas police and the families of the fallen officers late last month.
Thumbnail photo via Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports Images
