Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre joined the chorus of voices criticizing Allstate CEO Tom Wilson's pre-Sugar Bowl message, which urged Americans to move past "divisiveness" in the wake of a New Orleans terrorist attack. Favre also called out ESPN for not airing the national anthem before the game.

Wilson's message, delivered before the College Football Playoff quarterfinal, encouraged viewers to "accept people's imperfections and differences." This came after a terrorist attack on Bourbon Street on New Year's Day that resulted in 14 fatalities and numerous injuries. Wilson's comments sparked backlash, with many interpreting them as inappropriate given the context of the tragedy.

Favre took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his disapproval, stating, "I heard: There was no televised National Anthem for Sugar Bowl yesterday. Instead a DEI message by Allstate CEO. Woke is a joke." This amplified the criticism already directed at Allstate and ESPN.

Following the widespread negative reaction, Allstate issued a statement clarifying Wilson's position, emphasizing his condemnation of "violence in all forms" and expressing solidarity with the victims and the New Orleans community. The company explained that the message about overcoming divisiveness was part of a broader initiative to promote trust and positivity. Despite the clarification, Allstate deleted the original social media post containing Wilson's message.

The attack, perpetrated by U.S. Army veteran Shamsud-Din Jabbar, involved driving a pickup truck displaying an ISIS flag into a crowd on Bourbon Street. Jabbar was killed in an exchange of gunfire with police. The FBI classified the incident as terrorism and discovered potential improvised explosive devices in the French Quarter and Jabbar's vehicle.