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The NFL Hall of Fame Visits The Pope, Because Sure Why Not?

Just another day in spreading the corporate football gospel.
Robin Zielinski-USA TODAY Sports

Today, the NFL Hall of Fame went to pay Pope Francis a visit. A delegation of players including Ronnie Lott, Franco Harris and Curtis Martin, as well as Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, presented him with a signed jersey and a gold helmet for reasons that, as far as I can tell, mostly have to do with "Fuck yeah, we should meet the Pope." Can't blame them, really. There's even video—of the entirely generic b-roll variety—in which the Pope looks like he really wants to try on his new helmet.

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The Pope also said some things that mostly came out as briny word soup. Like this:

"They are the values that help build a culture of encounter, in which we anticipate and meet the needs of our brothers and sisters, and combat the exaggerated individualism, indifference and injustice that hold us back from living as one human family… How greatly our world needs this culture of encounter!"

I'm going to level with you: I have no idea what any of that means. But it's a little rich to drop the "culture of encounter" line when Jerry Jones, of all people, is in the building.

On the flip side, if there is history to be made today, we also have Jerry Jones to thank for it. As put forth by my colleague David Roth, is Jerry Jones the horniest man to ever meet the Pope?