The National Football League is back! On Thursday night, the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets met in Canton, Ohio for the first preseason game of the 2023-2024 NFL Season. Prior to kickoff, DeMarcus Ware stepped onto the field and sang the National Anthem. The former Dallas Cowboys star sang the anthem in honor of his former teammate, Demaryius Thomas, who tragically passed away in 2021. According to Ware, he and Thomas used to sing the anthem together before kickoff during their playing days.
“It’s actually the reason why I ended up doing it. … It meant so much.”@DeMarcusWare on singing the national anthem in honor of D.T. ? pic.twitter.com/8FeADRQO6V
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) August 4, 2023
The inspiration behind Ware’s decision to sing the National Anthem is heartwarming. However, X, formerly known as Twitter, is a platform where jokes fly at all costs. While fans didn’t make light of Ware’s reasoning for stepping up to the mic, they did make a few jokes about his singing capabilities.
Me seeing Demarcus Ware sing the National Anthem pic.twitter.com/4Nhk8jRgfz
— Blake Garman (@FrostedBlakes34) August 4, 2023
Demarcus Ware singing the National Anthem reminded me of this shit pic.twitter.com/Y8TNwsUFez
— Blake Garman (@FrostedBlakes34) August 4, 2023
Demarcus ware pic.twitter.com/9yGIpCYiLA
— ?????? ? (@Theylovelus) August 4, 2023
Jokes were flying left, right and center throughout the night. However, there were a few people who did come to his defense.
I don’t wanna hear another bad word about Demarcus Ware pic.twitter.com/zwuEt6PFgk
— HOT TAKES ANA (free agency WE MOVE) (@FootballGirlAna) August 4, 2023
FOOTBALL IS BACK!!! And Hall of Famer DeMarcus Ware singing the national anthem!!
Let’s goooo ???? pic.twitter.com/X2E1KTNkaN
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) August 4, 2023
Once the discourse of Ware’s National Anthem performance wrapped up, fans turned their attention toward the field. New York Jets Quarterback Aaron Rodgers didn’t take the field, but former starting quarterback Zach Wilson did complete three of five passes for 65 yards. Linebacker Chazz Surratt also came up with an interception and Malik Taylor also contributed 57 receiving yards. In the end, it was not enough as the Browns defeated Cleveland by a score of 21 to 16. The Jets will travel to Carolina to play the Panthers on August 12 while the Browns prepare for another home game against the Commanders on August 11.
