The National Football League is calling on Congress to take immediate action as the US drone crisis threatens to impact major sporting events.
Speculation about the source of unexplained drone sightings has reached a fever pitch in recent weeks, and the NFL is eager to use the publicity to secure its stadiums as the Super Bowl quickly approaches.
Earlier this year, the huge AFC title game between the Chiefs and Ravens had to be temporarily halted for safety reasons when a man flew a drone over the stadium in Baltimore.
In fact, the league claims that “threats, incidents and incursions by unauthorized drones during NFL games have increased from 12 in 2017 to more than 2,800 in 2023.”
In a statement, Cathy Lanier, the NFL’s Senior Vice President of Security, called on Congress to take steps to prevent further incidents.
“In recent years, more and more drones have been flown in restricted airspace during NFL games,” she said.
Unexplained drone sightings have been happening all over the American Northeast lately
A NJ resident saw what appeared to be multiple drones flying over their home in Bernardsville
“With the nation’s attention now turning to drones, we once again call on Congress to protect critical infrastructure and mass gatherings such as major sporting events.”
On Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was blocked from quickly introducing a bill to help state and local agencies dealing with the ongoing drone problems.
New Jersey in particular has been hit by a series of unexplained drone sightings in recent weeks, and Nassau County police have now been given the green light to shoot down drones over mass gatherings in an effort to protect the public.
Biden administration officials have insisted that many of the drones spotted were nothing more than harmless commercial aircraft.
However, House Secretary of State Michael McCaul said Tuesday that he believes some of the unidentified aircraft are “spy drones” from China.
It was previously revealed that the communist state had captured strategically located agricultural land next to military installations in the US.
The NFL has urged Congress to take action now as the Super Bowl quickly approaches
This season’s Super Bowl showdown will take place at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans
“We want answers, but the answer I’m getting is we don’t know who the drones belong to,” McCaul said.
“I was with the NASA administrator, Bill Nelson, and he said these drones have been reported over military sites, military bases. I wouldn’t think they are friendly. “I would think this is hostile,” he added.
“I believe they are spy drones and that the People’s Republic of China and Communist China are very good at that. We know they bought land around military bases. This would be very consistent with their policies over the past few years.
“We’re not getting any answers and I think it’s because our government doesn’t know who is behind it and I find that very disturbing.”