Some bonds transcend divisional rivalries.
Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins came to the defense of Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott on Friday after a judge granted a stay of his six-game suspension that will allow him to play in Week 9.
Elliott was never charged, and Jenkins presented an impassioned defense of the Cowboys star.
"I never want to see anybody going through what Zeke is going through, especially when there are no charges against him," Jenkins said, according to Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer. "I don't understand that."
Jenkins also pointed to the unwanted attention that comes with being a high-profile running back.
"The hard part about being an athlete in the spotlight is that people know and sometimes are looking for a reason to make you look bad," he said. "Whether you see fans out and they purposely agitate you just to try to get you on tape and extort you really. Or they can just say you did something in an attempt to ruin your reputation.
"Don't get me wrong: domestic violence or any kind of violence or sexual assault needs to be looked into and should be taken seriously. But at the same time, we don't want to create an environment in which somebody can cry wolf and get you suspended for six games."
The Eagles and Cowboys play Nov. 19 and Dec. 31. Elliott's status could be in limbo for both games.
