The pardons to 4 living and one deceased former NFL stars cover a variety of mostly drug-related offenses.
President Trump has used his pardon power to clear the criminal records of a number of people, from celebrities to political supporters to participants in the January 6 insurrection. His latest set of pardons has been extended to five former professional players, an unexpected move from the president.
Alice Marie Johnson announced pardons for 5 ex-football stars
The latest round of pardons, covering five former NFL Pro Bowlers, was announced by Alice Marie Johnson, who was serving a life sentence for drug charges before having her sentence commuted by Trump in 2018. Johnson has since been named by Trump as his “pardon czar,” recommending other individuals to be pardoned or have their sentences commuted by Trump. “Today, the President granted pardons to five former NFL players—Joe Klecko, Nate Newton, Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry, and the late great Dr. Billy Cannon,” Johnson posted on X. “As football reminds us, excellence is built on grit, grace, and the courage to rise again. So is our nation. “
Trump’s pardons cover four living ex-players. Klecko, formerly of the New York Jets, pleaded guilty to perjury for lying about an insurance fraud case. The three other living players each pleaded guilty to various drug-related charges. Lewis, who played for the Baltimore Ravens and the Cleveland Browns, pleaded guilty to attempting to set up a drug deal in the early 2000s. Henry, formerly of the Denver Broncos, pleaded guilty to funding a drug ring that trafficked cocaine. And Newton, a former Dallas Cowboys star, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges when he and another man were stopped while carrying $10,000 in cash and 175 pounds of marijuana in their respective vehicles. As Johnson noted in her post on X, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones personally told Newton the news of his pardon.
Trump’s history of sports, celebrities and pardons
Trump also granted a posthumous pardon to Cannon, who died in 2018. Cannon was a breakout star in college, playing for Louisiana State University. He won the 1959 Heisman Trophy and once ran an 89-yard punt return against Ole Miss, considered one of the most famous plays in football history. As a pro, Cannon played for the Houston Oilers, Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs. After football, Cannon fell into money problems and eventually served 2 ½ years in prison after pleading guilty to counterfeiting. Cannon’s daughter Bonnie posted about his pardon on Facebook. Thanking “everyone who had something to do with” her father’s pardon, she said that “during his lifetime no matter how much good my father did he could not outrun his failures. One mistake does not and should not define you!”
As a businessman and as president, Trump has often courted relationships with athletes and important figures in sports, including Jerry Jones. Last year, Trump golfed with Philadelphia Eagles star Saquon Barkley when the team visited the White House to celebrate their 2025 Super Bowl win. Trump was also a political ally of former NFL star Herschel Walker, and the president supported the latter’s disastrous Senate race in Georgia. Trump has also been known to use his clemency powers for celebrities, including rappers Kodak Black and Lil Wayne. Trump has also brushed aside ethical concerns to grant clemency to supporters, ranging from former advisor Steve Bannon to the January 6 insurrectionists.
This time, Trump’s pardons have cleared the records of five former NFL stars. While not stirring up the controversy of some other Trump pardons, these latest grants of clemency were unexpected. Given Trump’s track record, this will not be the last time Trump issues a set of surprise pardons.
The post Why Did Trump Just Pardon 5 Ex-NFL Players? appeared first on Blavity.
