Donald Trump has a long and complex relationship with American football, from being a team owner to suing the NFL—and now, as president, becoming the first sitting U.S. leader to attend a Super Bowl.
Trump’s Early Football Days
Trump played football in high school and later became involved in the sport as a businessman in the 1980s, when he owned the New Jersey Generals, a team in the now-defunct United States Football League (USFL).
On February 9, Trump made history by attending Super Bowl LVIII, becoming the first sitting president to do so. Before the game, he met with honorary guests, including families of victims from a New Orleans attack earlier this year, as well as police officers and first responders.
The game featured two-time champions Kansas City Chiefs against the Philadelphia Eagles. Trump predicted that Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes would lead his team to victory. However, the Eagles dominated the game, proving his prediction wrong.
After the match, Trump praised the players, coaches, and staff, saying they represent the dreams of young athletes as the country works to restore fairness and safety in sports.
Trump’s Ongoing Feud with the NFL
Trump’s love-hate relationship with the NFL dates back decades.
- As owner of the New Jersey Generals, he sued the NFL, demanding that the USFL merge into the more prominent league. The lawsuit failed, and the USFL collapsed.
- Trump remains close with some former Generals players, including Herschel Walker and Doug Flutie. Walker later ran for U.S. Senate in Georgia (2022) with Trump’s endorsement but lost. Trump later appointed him U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas.
- Several NFL team owners donated to Trump’s presidential campaigns.
Trump vs. NFL Protests
During his first term, Trump fiercely opposed NFL players kneeling during the national anthem, a movement started by quarterback Colin Kaepernick in 2016 to protest racial injustice.
- Trump demanded that players stand for the anthem and urged NFL team owners to fire those who kneeled.
- In a 2017 Alabama rally, he asked the crowd: “Wouldn’t you love to see an NFL owner say, ‘Get that son of a b*** off the field right now!’?”*
Super Bowl Appearance & NFL’s Policy Shift
Trump’s Super Bowl attendance came just two days after the NFL removed the slogan "End Racism" from the end zones—a phrase that had been there since 2021.
- Trump recently ended Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs in federal agencies, and some critics believe the NFL’s decision was an attempt to align with his policies.
- However, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell insisted that the league’s commitment to diversity remains unchanged.
Professor Alvin Tillery, an expert on race and politics at Northwestern University, condemned the NFL’s decision.
"It’s shameful. The league makes billions off Black athletes," Tillery said. "I think they removed the slogan because Trump was coming."
Instead of "End Racism," the NFL replaced the slogan with "Choose Love," saying it was meant to promote unity after recent national tragedies, including the New Orleans terror attack that killed 14 people.
Still, critics remain skeptical, and Trump’s presence at the Super Bowl has reignited debates over the intersection of politics and sports.
(Sources: AP, NFL, CNN)
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