Did Detroit Lions owner Sheila Ford Hamp announce distribution of red and blue towels in honor of Charlie Kirk? Viral claim debunked

Sheila Ford Hamp, the owner of the NFL team, the Detroit Lions, reportedly announced that towels in honor of Charlie Kirk would be distributed for free among fans.

The Facebook page Great Lake Warriors claimed as such in a post on October 10, which garnered over 40K likes so far. The post has been shared over 2K times. According to the caption:

"80,000 red-and-blue towels will be handed out for free to every fan at Ford Field Stadium"

Charlie Kirk's photos and controversial remarks would be played on the stadium screens "for 15 minutes before the next game". The caption continued:

"What sent social media into meltdown was not only the emotional scene of a white-and-blue sea, but the mysterious words printed on those towels"

According to the viral post, the towels would feature a "shocking message" which can trigger a "political firestorm", as reportedly warned by political strategists. The message could further make the Detroit Lions "the epicenter of America's most heated debate."

An image of Sheila Ford accompanied the post, along with her supposed statement, where she said:

"We're not just waving towels. We're waving a statement so powerful it will echo through Lions Nation, the NFL, and the entire country for years to come."

A link attached to the Facebook post leads to an article on a website called 'Work Top News'. This article further quoted a supposed sports sociologist at the University of Michigan, Dr. Alana Reeves, who called the matter "unprecedented".

However, the claim made by Great Lake Warriors as well as Work Top News is fake. Sheila Ford Hamp made no such announcements regarding the Detroit Lions honoring Charlie Kirk during a game.

There are no credible reports that stated the NFL team would give out red and blue towels in Kirk's honor. Sheila Ford Hamp, who acquired the Lions in June 2020, also made no comments regarding Kirk's death since his assassination in September.

Sheila Ford Hamp's Detroit Lions did not pay tribute to Charlie Kirk

Charlie Kirk, the conservative political analyst and the co-founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot on September 10. He was speaking at an event at Utah Valley University when the assassination took place. People across several industries, including sports, mourned his untimely passing.

Several NFL teams, including the Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans, New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs, New Orleans Saints, Dallas Cowboys, and Miami Dolphins, observed moments of silence for Kirk before their games last month.

Sad to say, the Detroit Lions did not pay tribute to Charlie Kirk with a moment of silence. Shameful and petty pic.twitter.com/H6yPGmkQzc

— JP (@JohnIsa69517391) September 15, 2025

However, a few other teams, including the Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts, Cincinnati Bengals, Baltimore Ravens, and Minnesota Vikings, chose not to pay tribute to Kirk.

During their game against the Chicago Bears on September 14, the Lions opted out of honoring Charlie Kirk. The team received backlash due to their decision.

Several conservatives called out these six teams for honoring George Floyd after he was killed, but choosing not to honor Kirk.

Regardless, the Detroit Lions would not be going back on their decision to distribute towels in honor of Charlie Kirk. The team also made no official statements about honoring him in the future.