NFL plans series of 9/11 tributes leading up to and during Week 1 games

The NFL will kick off its 107th season next week with a rare Wednesday night contest that represents a Super Bowl rematch, the first game in Australia the following night, and then 13 games on American soil that Sunday, followed by one Monday night contest.

As the league celebrates the launching of another season, it also will commemorate the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

The fields of all games — both domestic and international — will feature end zone stencils that say, “Never Forget.” Players and coaches will wear special 9/11-Never Forget T-shirts during pregame warmups. And the coin toss of each contest will feature a commemorative coin that will later be auctioned off to benefit the league’s Sept. 11-related charities.

The NFL Foundation will also hold weeklong activities for military families and the relatives of the victims of the attacks, and tributes will take place before each game.

The NFL Foundation, and the charitable foundations of the New York Giants, New York Jets and Washington Commanders will jointly donate $1 million to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum while also providing additional grants for education and remembrance.

“We continue to honor the memory of those we lost on September 11 and the heroes whose courage and sacrifice inspired our nation,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a press release. “Out of unimaginable tragedy emerged an extraordinary sense of unity and service that brought Americans together. As the NFL family reflects on this day 25 years later, we remember those who were taken from us and support those who continue to carry the pain of that day. We also recommit ourselves to the spirit of resilience, community, and service that remains an enduring example for future generations.”