Members of the NYPD, FDNY and PAPD, as well as family members of 9/11 victims, will be part of a wide-ranging and emotional pregame ceremony before the Giants-Cowboys primetime game.
New York City first responders will form a gauntlet for the team to run through during pregame introductions at MetLife Stadium, as a weekend of honoring those who lost their lives 25 years ago in the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, reaches the “Sunday Night Football” audience.
Other pregame tributes include:
- A photo montage, provided by season ticket holders, of 9/11 victims displayed on the video boards
- A “Tribute in Light” — two vertical columns of light — illuminated in remembrance of the fallen towers of the World Trade Center
- A joint NYPD, FDNY, PAPD honor guard and special performance of the national anthem by members of the police and fire departments
- A flyover by New Jersey State Police helicopters at the conclusion of the national anthem
- A 100-yard American flag unfurled by members of both teams, coaches and season ticket holders
- Members of the Palumbo family, who lost their firefighter father on 9/11 and became beneficiaries of the Jim Fassel Foundation, will serve as honorary captains for the coin toss in recognition of the late former Giants head coach’s support of those who suffered loss that day.
Players and coaches from both teams will wear commemorative NYPD, FDNY and PAPD apparel and “Never Forget” T-shirts during warmups. A limited number of hats will be available in the team store on game day, with proceeds benefiting the respective first-responder agencies.
Ladder 343 — a ceremonial FDNY fire truck named to honor the 343 members of the FDNY who lost their lives on 9/11 — will welcome the crowd. The Tunnel to Towers Foundation will conclude its “Steel Across America” tour by displaying a steel beam from the World Trade Center outside the stadium gates.
Jesse Armstead, Tiki Barber, Kerry Collins and Jason Sehorn — all of whom were members of the 2001 Giants team that landed at Newark airport just a few hours before the hijackings — will join uniformed first responders in a “Go Big Blue” chant before kickoff.
As of Thursday afternoon, the average purchase price for a Giants-Cowboys ticket was $369 — the highest for a Jets or Giants home game since at least 2011 — according to TickPick. The simultaneous get-in price was $242.
The Giants again listed all 52 active players as full practice participants.
Head coach John Harbaugh, who balks at sharing injury information, did not disclose how Andrew Thomas (knee) ended up on the injury list after a healthy preseason.
The Giants have an empty roster spot. Will they fill it?
“At some point,” Harbaugh said,“when in it’s in the best interest of the team to do so.”
