Before the Atlanta Falcons took on the New Orleans Saints, Monday night, all of the players stood for the national anthem. Once the Star-Spangled Banner was complete, players and coaches from both teams all met in the middle of the field and joined hands for a moment of silence.
ESPN broadcasters noted that quarterbacks Drew Brees and Matt Ryan helped orchestrate the moment of reflection between the two rivals. The game also marked the ten-year anniversary of the re-opening of the Superdome, which was ravaged after Hurricane Katrina and displaced the Saints for a year.
It will be interesting to see if other teams adopt the moment of reflection before games.