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Vikings, Cardinals, Seahawks given day off to honor George Floyd

The Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks were given the day off from meetings Thursday, in recognition of George Floyd's memorial service.

The first of three services scheduled for Floyd will take place Thursday afternoon in Minneapolis.

The Vikings canceled meetings to allow players in the area to attend the service and so those who aren't in Minneapolis can watch the livestream.

Arizona running back Kenyan Drake said the Cardinals also were given the day off.

The Seahawks also were given the day off Thursday to honor Floyd, a source told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh invited players and their family members to take part in Thursday's national moment of silence on a video conference call.

At 3:45 p.m. ET, the NAACP and other civil rights and social justice organizations have asked people to take part in a moment of silence for 8 minutes, 46 seconds as part of a national day of mourning in recognition of Floyd.

"Hopefully, you can be there, and I encourage us to have our kids, wives, nephews, nieces, brothers and sisters to join us in silence," Harbaugh said in an email to the team.

Three memorials over six days are planned for Floyd in the cities where he was born, grew up and died. The first memorial is on Thursday afternoon at North Central University in Minneapolis.

Floyd's body will then go to Raeford, North Carolina, where he was born 46 years ago, for a two-hour public viewing and private service for the family on Saturday.

Finally, a public viewing will be held Monday in Houston, where he was raised and lived most of his life. A 500-person service on Tuesday will take place at The Fountain of Praise church. A private burial will follow.

Houston Texans coach Bill O'Brien announced Wednesday that his team will not hold virtual meetings on Tuesday so players can attend the funeral if they would like to do so.

Floyd died on May 25 in Minneapolis after white police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.