Trump to Make History as First Sitting U.S. President at the Super Bowl
Donald Trump is poised to make history as the first sitting U.S. president to attend the Super Bowl this Sunday. However, his long and contentious relationship with football reveals a much more complicated history than his upcoming attendance suggests.
Trump’s Rift with the NFL Over Player Protests
Throughout his first term, Trump became entangled in a bitter feud with the NFL, particularly after Black players began kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial inequality and police brutality.
In 2017, Trump famously called for NFL players who protested to be dismissed, referring to them as “sons of bitches.” His criticism of the league and its leadership—especially Commissioner Roger Goodell—caused a deep divide. By 2018, the NFL introduced a rule that required players either to stand during the anthem or remain in the locker room.
However, when the national discourse shifted after George Floyd’s death in 2020, Goodell publicly acknowledged the league’s failure to support players who had protested earlier.
Trump’s USFL Investment and the Failed NFL Challenge
Trump’s influence on football isn’t limited to his presidency. In the 1980s, he purchased the New Jersey Generals in the fledgling USFL, a league designed to rival the NFL with spring games and less traditional celebrations of football.
Soon after buying the Generals, Trump began pushing for the league to move its games to the fall to compete directly with the NFL. According to author Jeff Pearlman, Trump’s real ambition was to force a merger with the NFL or eventually gain ownership of an NFL franchise in New York City.
Trump led an antitrust lawsuit against the NFL, which the USFL technically won. However, the jury’s verdict resulted in a mere one-dollar award in damages, marking the league’s defeat. Days later, the USFL canceled its 1986 season, effectively ending the league’s existence.
Pearlman referred to Trump’s role as pivotal in the league’s collapse, even though Trump claimed in a 2009 documentary that the USFL would have failed even sooner without his involvement.
Unsuccessful Attempts to Buy an NFL Team
Trump has also shown repeated interest in purchasing an NFL team, although none of his efforts have come to fruition. In 2014, he offered $1 billion to buy the Buffalo Bills, but his bid was unsuccessful.
Further complicating matters, Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer, testified before Congress that Trump inflated his net worth in the financial statements related to that bid—an issue that later became central to the New York attorney general’s fraud case.
A 2023 ruling found Trump liable for misleading financial practices and ordered him to pay a substantial fine. Trump has denied all accusations of wrongdoing and is currently appealing the decision.
NFL’s ‘Choose Love’ Slogan Sparks Backlash
This week, the NFL came under fire for opting to display the phrase “Choose Love” in an end zone at this year’s Super Bowl instead of the “End Racism” slogan used in previous years.
Some critics speculated that the new message was a subtle nod to Trump, known for his stance against federal diversity programs. However, an NFL spokesperson clarified that the slogan was a response to recent tragedies, including the California wildfires, the Washington plane crash, and a truck attack in New Orleans near the Superdome.
As Trump heads to the Super Bowl, his complex and sometimes controversial relationship with football continues to be a defining part of his legacy.
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