The Department of Homeland Security turned to an unlikely pitchman this week for its southern border messaging: Hall of Fame safety Brian Dawkins, whose bone-rattling hits with the Philadelphia Eagles anchored a viral video the agency published on X over the weekend.
By Monday afternoon, the post was still up โ despite a reported request from the NFL to take it down, according to The Daily Wire.
A 39-second montage and a border caravan
DHS published the 39-second compilation Sunday evening with a two-word caption: “Our time has come.” The video was posted in response to a report from the account Leading Report, which said a large migrant caravan was approaching the U.S.-Mexico border. The post has since drawn more than eight million views.
The agency then threaded a second post on X featuring a photo of Dawkins shrouded in white smoke, captioned “The Border Is Closed.”
Neither the montage nor the photo had been removed as of 5:30 p.m. ET Monday, the outlet reported.
Dawkins: ‘I didn’t give permission’
The nine-time Pro Bowler addressed the situation himself in a video posted to social media earlier Monday, saying he had not authorized the use of his name, image, or likeness.
“I didn’t give permission for my name, image, and likeness to be used by anybody, alright, by anybody,” Dawkins said. “Take a deep breath. Take a deep breath. Y’all be blessed.”
In a separate written post, he added: “I have respectfully not given permission to anyone other than those I currently do business with to use my NIL. Be Blessed!”
Neither Dawkins nor the NFL has responded directly to Sport & State for comment, per the outlet’s report.
DHS fires back with a defense of its border record
When Sport & State reached the department for comment, a DHS spokesperson framed the dispute in football terms.
“DHS is playing lockdown defense at the border,” the spokesperson said. “We will use every weapon at our disposal, from A to X, to keep Americans safe.”
The spokesperson went on to detail the enforcement posture the agency says is in place, saying U.S. Border Patrol is actively tracking a caravan that left San Pedro Sula, Honduras, on September 20, 2026, and is coordinating with international partners to monitor its movement.
“USBP reminds migrants that under the leadership of President Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Mullin, the border has remained closed and secured for the last 16 months,” the spokesperson said.
The statement also warned that “the days of ‘catch and release’ are over,” describing the previous administration’s border policy as “disastrous” and “open,” and said anyone attempting to enter the country illegally will be “apprehended, prosecuted, and removed.”
An agency leaning into culture-war imagery
The episode fits a broader pattern of federal agencies using sports and pop-culture imagery to promote enforcement priorities โ a communications strategy that generates reach but also invites pushback from the leagues, teams, and athletes whose likenesses get pulled in.
For DHS, the payoff was measurable: a single post racked up more than eight million views in roughly a day. For the NFL and one of its most decorated defensive backs, the cost was a very public headache, with Dawkins making clear he wants no part of the campaign.
Whether the league’s reported request changes anything remains to be seen. As of Monday evening, it had not.
Source: www.dailywire.com โ https://www.dailywire.com/news/humorless-nfl-requests-dhs-remove-video-of-brian-dawkins-mauling-dudes-dhs-nah