Trump is running a reverse by appealing to the football world

The president used to be a nuisance to the NFL. It’s just another Hail Mary.

By Carron J. Phillips

President Donald Trump and the NFL have gone from adversaries to associates. Wow.

Earlier this week, the president hosted NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris at the White House to announce that the 2027 NFL Draft would be held on the National Mall.

This seemed impossible just a few years ago.

During his first term in office, Trump engaged in conflicts with team owners and referred to a Black player who kneeled during the national anthem as a “son of a bitch.” He transformed Colin Kaepernick’s peaceful protest against racism and police brutality into a rallying cry. In 2018, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones revealed that Trump had told him that players who protested during the national anthem represented “a very winning, strong issue for me.” Trump advised him to tell everyone that “you can’t win this one” because “this one lifts me.”

But then 2020 happened. This was followed by Trump losing an election, the events of Jan. 6, 2021, and him watching his hand-picked former NFL legend (Herschel Walker) lose a senatorial race in Georgia.

It appears that Trump called an audible. Instead of antagonizing football players, he is now trying to build a friendly rapport with them, perhaps hoping they will overlook the turmoil in his first administration. This shift has resulted in a more cheerful and casual atmosphere, especially given America’s obsession with football.

The guy might be stupid, but he’s never been dumb.

Trump's conflict with the NFL dates back to the 1980s, when he owned the short-lived USFL. He attempted to challenge the NFL in court because he wanted to schedule USFL games to compete directly with the NFL. Although Trump technically won the $1.5 billion antitrust lawsuit—a jury found the NFL guilty of acting as a monopoly—the USFL was awarded only $1. USFL spent millions in legal fees, contributing to its quick collapse, while the NFL thrived.

Times have changed, though, since the political theatre on the field in the Kaepernick era, and the scrutiny teams and players faced if they posed for pics at the White House—despite the damage that Trump’s administration has done in just his first 100 days. For instance, his 2026 fiscal budget request removes major funding for research on traumatic brain injury (TBI), which studies head injuries in football and other sports.

This year, Trump became the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl, using the game as a promotional event. There, he praised Kansas City Chiefs Quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his wife: “I’ve watched this great quarterback, who has, by the way, a phenomenal wife, OK. She’s a Trump fan. She’s a MAGA fan. So I happen to love her.” Besides the millions of tax dollars that were wasted on the trip, Trump conveniently used the moment to meet with families who had lost loved ones during the New Year’s Day terrorist attack in New Orleans.

Trump is consistently focused on self-promotion. That’s why he accepted the invitation to be the commencement speaker at the University of Alabama. There were several reasons: first, he had the opportunity to visit a red state; second, he was introduced by Nick Saban; and third, the positive press from this trip has already begun to surface. Reports suggest that a meeting with Saban could prompt Trump to consider issuing an executive order to address name, image, and likeness (NIL) payments for college athletes.

NIL has faced challenges since its introduction, largely because of the NCAA's inability to develop a sustainable framework. However, if Trump becomes involved, it won’t be about whether athletes are participating in pay-for-play schemes. Instead, the focus will shift to issues of distribution—specifically, who receives what benefits and the reasoning behind those decisions. Given Trump’s all-out war on diversity, equity and inclusion, Black and female athletes will likely see their payments dwindle.

Interestingly enough, the decision to be less combative with the football world seems to be working, whether from people conforming out of fear of Trump's anger or the realization that standing up against injustices in the sports world isn’t the cool thing to do anymore.

“lol some people are really upset cause I played golf and flew to the White House with the PRESIDENT,” Eagles running back Saquon Barkley recently tweeted. “Maybe I just respect the office, not a hard concept to understand. Just golfed with Obama not too long ago…and look forward to finishing my round with Trump! Now ya get out of my mentions with all this politics and have an amazing day.”

The idea that being friendly with a president wouldn’t be seen as political is Barkley’s attempt to “stick to sports.” This notion is amusing, especially because the man he's socializing with is ignoring the country’s established norms and shifting blame onto others for his own ineptitude. In just the past few days, he has been noncommittal about supporting due process and has evaded responsibility for the economic mess he has created.

“I think the good parts are the Trump economy and the bad parts are the Biden economy,” he said on NBC’s Meet The Press when asked if this is his economy.

As college football and the NFL are out of the spotlight until the fall, we might see Trump adopt a more gentle approach toward athletes from other sports. The way the White House treats the upcoming NBA and WNBA champions will provide us with clearer insight into the strategies in Trump’s new playbook.

So far, he has given players like Jalen Hurts and other members of the Philadelphia Eagles a pass for not attending the White House, claiming “scheduling conflicts.” He even attempted to take credit for the Cleveland Browns finally selecting former Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders with the 144th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

The bait-and-switch technique has always been a favored tactic for Trump, and his supporters consistently stand by him despite this. They overlook his “aspirations” to become the Pope and his lack of certainty regarding the upholding of the Constitution. However, they are engaged when they see him golfing with a Super Bowl champion or smiling alongside Saban.

Don’t fall for the okey-doke, as this is nothing but political play-action. And in these uncertain times, don't get caught up in the misdirection. You can’t count on getting any help from the safety over the top.

Carron J. Phillips is an award-winning journalist who writes on race, culture, social issues, politics, and sports. He hails from Saginaw, Michigan, and is a graduate of Morehouse College and Syracuse University.

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