The NFL and...Emojis?

If you have happened to check your phone out during any recent NFL playoff game, there is a good chance you've seen hashtags like #KeepPounding, #Seahawks, or maybe #GoPackGo. Prior to the playoffs, the league and Twitter launched official hashtags for each team left competing for the Super Bowl. Twitter users who use the hashtag also unlock a special emoji of each team's logo. The NFL was rather excited when they announced the hashtags:

This marks the first time that the NFL and Twitter have worked together on a project like this. The emojis will disappear 24 hours after a team is eliminated from the playoffs. The hashtags give fans and players a new, different way to represent their favorite team online. Even NBA superstar Steph Curry had to get in on the emoji action:

The hashtags are just another new way the NFL is marketing its teams and games through Twitter. The hashtag emojis are frequently trending nationally during and after games. The NFL is continuing to use Twitter and social media as a way to expand its audience and let their fans be more engaged online.