The NFL remains steadfast in its social media policies, explicitly prohibiting its teams from engaging with Bluesky, an emerging rival to X (previously Twitter).

This information was brought to light by *Awful Announcing*, a sports media outlet, which pointed out a conversation on the *Patriots Unfiltered* podcast. In the episode, a listener recommended that the New England Patriots broaden their social media outreach to Bluesky. In reply, Fred Kirsch, the Patriots’ VP of content, revealed, “At this moment, we’re not permitted to.”

Kirsch further explained that although the Patriots had briefly tested out Bluesky, the NFL stepped in. “The league requested us to remove it because it’s not an officially sanctioned social media platform for the NFL at this time,” he clarified.

Bluesky, which now has over 28 million users, is becoming a significant alternative to X, especially as Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg have been criticized for their perceived leanings towards far-right ideologies. Sports entities globally are increasingly looking into alternatives to X. For example, Bundesliga team FC St. Pauli transitioned as early as November, following the U.S. presidential election.

In the U.S., several well-known sports-oriented subreddits have even suggested completely banning X links, despite their dependence on content from the site. Meanwhile, many sports reporters and media personalities have begun establishing active presences on Bluesky, prompting discussions about X’s ongoing supremacy as a central hub for sports enthusiasts.

Regarding the NFL, its footprint on Bluesky is practically nonexistent. The league continues to uphold strong collaborations with Meta and X, and despite the increasing shift of sports fans and media figures to Bluesky, the NFL has not yet made the leap. This choice seems to stem more from commercial interests and partnership commitments than from any ideological alignment with Musk or Zuckerberg.

An NFL representative did not respond to inquiries for commentary.

Interestingly, a handful of NFL teams appear to have a presence on Bluesky — albeit in a limited way. The Detroit Lions (53.8k followers), New York Giants (13.5k), Minnesota Vikings (22.7k), and Philadelphia Eagles (50.6k) all have accounts that seem authentic. However, based on Kirsch’s statements, these accounts are most likely operated by fans, as they are unverified and unofficial.