President Donald Trump is set to make history on Sunday as the first sitting U.S. president to attend a Super Bowl. Trump will watch the matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles at the Superdome in New Orleans, marking a new chapter in his long and complex relationship with the sport.
Trump’s ties to football span decades, from his days playing the sport as a high school student to his ownership of the New Jersey Generals in the short-lived United States Football League (USFL) in the 1980s. His involvement in the USFL included a high-profile lawsuit against the NFL in an attempt to force a merger, though the effort ultimately failed and led to the league’s collapse. More recently, Trump has clashed with the NFL over social justice protests, particularly players kneeling during the national anthem—a movement started by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in 2016.
The president’s Super Bowl appearance coincides with the NFL’s recent decision to remove the “End Racism” slogans that had been displayed in end zones since 2021. Critics argue that the move aligns with Trump’s recent executive order eliminating federal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. However, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has denied any connection between the league’s decision and Trump’s policies, maintaining that the NFL remains committed to diversity initiatives.
Trump has refrained from explicitly endorsing a team in Sunday’s game, though he has praised Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in past statements. “I don’t want to say, but there’s a certain quarterback that seems to be a pretty good winner,” Trump said last week, a comment widely interpreted as a nod to Mahomes. He also congratulated the Chiefs on social media following their AFC Championship victory.
During his presidency, Trump was vocal in his criticism of NFL players who knelt during the national anthem, calling for team owners to fire those who participated in the protest. At a 2017 rally in Alabama, he famously said, “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, you’d say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out! He’s fired!’” His stance sparked a divisive national debate over free speech, patriotism, and racial justice in professional sports.
Trump is expected to watch the game from a luxury box alongside House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and other allies. His attendance also comes amid ongoing political controversies, including his recent executive order barring transgender women and girls from competing in women’s sports at federally funded schools. Additionally, he continues to maintain ties with former football players such as Herschel Walker and Doug Flutie, both of whom played for his USFL team. Walker, whom Trump endorsed in an unsuccessful Senate bid in Georgia in 2022, has recently been tapped as the next U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas.
The NFL has announced that instead of the “End Racism” slogan, it will display “Choose Love” in one of the Super Bowl end zones, citing a need for unity in the wake of recent tragedies, including a deadly New Year’s Day truck attack in New Orleans that left 14 dead and dozens injured. The decision has drawn criticism from some, including Alvin Tillery, a professor of political science at Northwestern University, who called the move “shameful,” arguing that the NFL profits “largely on the bodies of Black men.”
As Trump prepares to take his seat for Sunday’s game, his presence underscores the deep intersections of politics, sports, and social justice in modern America. Whether his appearance will further energize his supporters or add fuel to his critics remains to be seen.
