Redskins vs. Giants Video: Watch Touching 9/11 Ceremony at New Meadowlands

Sunday not only marked the season opener of the 2011 NFL season for the New York Giants, it also marked the 10-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, one of the greatest tragedies America has ever known.

As the Giants got set for their Week 1 matchup against the Washington Redskins in Maryland less than 20 miles from the nation's capital, a giant American flag, held by 150 family members affected by the terrorist attacks, spanned across the field as R&B artist Ne-Yo sang a soulful rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner.

This came just minutes after General Colin Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State, served as the Redskins' honorary captain for the pregame coin toss.

The Giants and Redskins, as well as all other active NFL players on Sunday, wore patches on their jerseys featuring a ribbon with the stars and stripes complete with the dates "9/11/01" and "9/11/11." Coaches and personnel wore pins.

Some Giants players wore red and blue gloves with the words "Never Forget" stitched on them. Other players wore gloves sporting the stars and stripes of the American flag.

Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw wore cleats with stars and stripes displayed prominently.

It was emotional before the game even started, with players, family members of the victims and coaches all sharing a moment together, 10 years after a day we will indeed "never forget."

Said Giants quarterback Eli Manning earlier this week before the game, via ESPN:

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"It's a big deal, especially for the people here in New York and the people in Washington. So it's (a) time people all remember. We'll never forget and it should be that way. So it's an honor to play on this day and honor people who we lost on that significant day."

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Fans waved tiny American flags and chanted, "USA! USA!"

Whoever wins the game on Sunday, the ceremonies before the game proved that we are all in this together; Giants fans, Redskins fans and everyone else in America.

While we can never change what happened on Sept. 11, we will move forward, as the Giants and Redskins did on Sunday.