The NFL is asking the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to delete a social media video which used archival footage of a Philadelphia Eagles star to promote the department’s efforts at the southern border.
On Sunday evening, the official DHS account quote-tweeted a post from the news account @LeadingReport which claimed there was a ‘Huge migrant caravan headed towards’ the border between the United States and Mexico.
The DHS account then shared a video montage showing images of former Eagles safety and Pro Football Hall of Famer Brian Dawkins.
Soundtracked to the song ‘Blind’ by nu-metal band Korn, the video showed various clips of Dawkins’ iconic walkouts – including one where he is heard saying ‘My time has come.’
The department also posted a graphic showing Dawkins crawling on all fours with the caption, ‘The Border Is Closed.’
In a statement to the Daily Mail, an NFL spokesperson says the league ‘has requested DHS take down the video.’
The NFL is asking the Department of Homeland Security to take down a video using its footage
The video used clips of Hall of Fame safety Brian Dawkins to promote its border policy
The clip showed Dawkins’ walkouts to promote their efforts at the southern border
The Daily Mail has contacted the Philadelphia Eagles for comment on this matter.
Dawkins became known for his public alter ego ‘Weapon X’ borrowed from the Marvel Comics character Wolverine.
In addition to his ferocity on the field, which earned him five All-Pro honors and nine Pro Bowl nods, Dawkins’ walkouts for the Eagles and the Denver Broncos were equally intense.
Dawkins played 13 of his 16 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, a team that has been helmed by chairman and CEO Jeffrey Lurie, who has been critical of President Trump in the past.
Across professional sports in the United States, leagues commonly maintain that ‘express written consent’ is required for the use of their footage.
In a statement from a DHS spokesperson to the Daily Mail, the department said: ‘DHS is playing lockdown defense at the border. We will use every Weapon at our disposal, from A to X, to keep Americans safe.’
The statement added that US Border Patrol has been tracking a migrant caravan which left the city of San Pedro Sula in Honduras on September 20. A spokesperson says the agency is ‘closely engaged with its international partners to monitor their movement and any additional developments.’
The statement from DHS did not address a question from the Daily Mail about whether or not they obtained permission from the NFL to use its images of Dawkins in the video.
The five-time Pro Bowler was also shown in this image posted by the official DHS account
The DHS did not respond to questions asking if it got permission from the NFL to use the footage
This is not the first time a government account has used footage from a major professional sports league in the United States.
On March 6, just days after the war between the US and Iran broke out, the official White House account posted two separate edits of military explosions interspersed with highlights from the NFL and MLB.
Neither the NFL or MLB provided comment at the time revealing if they granted the White House permission for use of highlights.
Multiple musicians and companies have spoken out against the government’s use of their IP without permission.
The Pokemon Company once condemned a post from the Trump administration of a meme which included characters from the franchise, including the cartoon face of the company, Pikachu.
‘We are aware of recent social content that includes imagery associated with our brand,’ Sravanthi Dev, a company spokeswoman, said in a statement obtained by The New York Times.
‘We were not involved in its creation or distribution, and no permission was granted for the use of our intellectual property. Our mission is to bring the world together, and that mission is not affiliated with any political viewpoint or agenda.’
In addition to companies, there is a Wikipedia entry dedicated to artists who have publicly condemned the Trump administration and his previous campaigns for using their music without permission or authorization. The article details the complaints of 63 artists, including The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, Noah Kahan, Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter among others.
