MetLife Stadium held a pregame tribute to honor the victims and first responders of the September 11th terrorist attacks before the New York Giants' Sunday Night Football opener against the Dallas Cowboys.
The ceremony leading up to the game featured FDNY’s ceremonial Ladder 343 truck and a World Trade Center steel beam displayed outside the stadium gates by the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. Two beams of light, reminiscent of the "Tribute in Light," illuminated the night sky above the stadium.
Members of the NYPD and FDNY performed a special rendition of the national anthem. On the field, players, coaches, and Giants season-ticket members unfurled a 100-yard American flag. First responders from New York City formed a gauntlet for player introductions. Both teams wore commemorative NYPD, FDNY, and PAPD hats, and players and coaches sported "Never Forget" T-shirts during warm-ups.
The Palumbo family, whose FDNY father died on 9/11, served as honorary captains for the coin toss. A moment of silence was observed, accompanied by a video montage of lives lost on 9/11 displayed on the stadium’s screens.
New Giants coach John Harbaugh, who previously spent 18 seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, commented on the significance of the tribute. "It’s a story about heroes who were willing to run toward danger while others were trying to escape it," Harbaugh said. "To be in New York and honor the heroes of that day who live on forever in our culture, that means everything. You honor it with your effort."
Giants legends joined uniformed first responders for a pre-kickoff "Go Big Blue" chant. The ceremony aimed to remember those lost and honor the resilience shown in the aftermath of the attacks.