The entire world is in collective mourning after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, who departed at the age of 96 on Thursday. She reportedly passed away peacefully at her Scottish estate.

Sports leagues around the world, especially those of greater proximity to the United Kingdom, paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, honoring her long dutiful reign as monarch with videos thanking her for her vast contributions to society, as well as moments of silence to remember her impact.

Before the NFL season opener between the Buffalo Bills and the Los Angeles Rams, there was an attempt to hold a moment of silence in respect for the late queen. Leading into the gesture, the public address announcer said: “Today the world lost a beloved global figure with the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. At this time, please join in a moment of silence in the memory of Queen Elizabeth II, whose message of unity and peace inspired people throughout the world for generations.”

But the raucous crowd of 73,846 was not having any of it, remaining loud as an image of Queen Elizabeth II was shown on the jumbotron.

It was clear from the reaction that the monarch was a divisive political figure. While the gesture was made with good things in mind, the crowd was not participative, and the scene became a bit disrespectful to the late queen in the end.

Perhaps this was what constituted for silence in a crowd of 70-plus thousand, as it's difficult to maintain total silence in an audience that big. Or maybe Rams fans were just excited to see the first game in their title defense, and their excitement just spilled over into what was supposed to be a more heartfelt moment. If only they knew what the outcome of the game would be then.

 

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