The Philadelphia Eagles were forced to take action Monday to combat false political ads supporting Vice President Kamala Harris.
This week, posters proclaiming Harris the “official Philadelphia Eagles prospect” appeared all over the City of Brotherly Love.
The ads, which ran at bus stops, depicted the Democratic candidate wearing an Eagles helmet and holding a football, as well as the name “Kamala” in large, bold capital letters.
The franchise released a statement condemning the posters, saying the ads were fake.
“We are aware of false political ads circulating and are working with our advertising partner to remove them,” the team said in a brief statement released Monday afternoon.
Posters appeared praising Kamala Harris as the ‘official Philadelphia Eagles candidate’
The Eagles had to insist that the posters supporting Harris were fake
The ads also included a link to Philadelphiaeagles.com/vote, which is an actual website set up by the Eagles organization to provide independent information so people can learn how to register to vote and learn more about the upcoming election.
The Eagles’ website does not list an “official candidate” they endorse.
It is currently unknown who created and paid for these ads, but the franchise is working with its advertising partner to have them removed.
They were spotted at several locations in the city, including at the intersection of 18th Street and John F. Kennedy Boulevard, near Philadelphia City Hall, according to NBC Philadelphia.
While the franchise is seeking to have the pro-Harris ads removed, owner Jeffrey Lurie has reportedly previously spoken out against her opponent Donald Trump.
During league meetings in October 2017, just weeks after Trump made inflammatory comments about the NFL and its players, Lurie expressed strong anti-Trump sentiments.
The franchise said it is working to have the ads removed throughout Philadelphia
Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie reportedly previously expressed his feelings against Donald Trump
“Another fact I want to point out: Many of us have no interest in supporting President Trump,” Lurie said, according to a recording of the meeting obtained by The New York Times. ‘Yes, there are. There are also players who do that.’
“But this is not a place where you put a group of people in the spotlight because they own assets in a sport that we love, and they support what many of us see as, you know, one [expletive] “A disastrous presidency,” he added.
Lurie is considered one of the NFL’s most liberal owners. He holds a doctorate in social policy.
He joined his players as they performed the national anthem together during the team’s season opener against the New York Giants in 2017.
While no Eagles players knelt during the anthem, safety Malcolm Jenkins and two other players raised their right fists. It was a day after Trump called for NFL players to be fired for kneeling during the anthem.
That season, the Eagles became the first team to win the Super Bowl since the then-president’s attacks on the league and its players.
The debate surrounding the national anthem led to the White House canceling the Eagles’ visit, a tradition for all championship teams in the United States, in June 2018.
“The Philadelphia Eagles cannot bring their entire team to the White House tomorrow to be celebrated. They disagree with their President because he insists that they stand proudly for the National Anthem, with their hands over their hearts, in honor of the great men and women of our military and the people of our country,” Trump said in a statement at the time.
Malcolm Jenkins and two other players raised their right fists during the national anthem in 2017
Trump had attacked the NFL and its players during the 2017 national anthem debate
Philadelphia players Jenkins and Chris Long had previously indicated they would not attend the celebration. Wide receiver Torrey Smith, who has since left the team, also said he did not plan to attend.
It’s believed Lurie didn’t want to put his players in an awkward position and ultimately decided to send a smaller contingent of fewer than 10 players, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported, but that plan was rejected by the Oval Office.
According to the Federal Election Commission, Lurie donated $2,700 in 2015 to Hillary for America, a group that supports Hillary Clinton.
In the past, he has also made donations to Obama for America, the Obama Victory Fund and the Democratic Party of Philadelphia.