Donald Trump is going after the NFL—again.
The presidential candidate posted on social media Friday night that the league’s new kickoff rules, designed to safely encourage more returns, were the “BEGINNING OF THE END!” The comments are reminiscent of Trump’s early presidency, when he frequently criticized the NFL for its handling of anthem protests by players. In Sept. 2017, he called for fans to boycott the world’s richest sports league.
Trump’s ire back then presented a difficult position for commissioner Roger Goodell and league owners, many of whom contributed to Trump’s inauguration campaign. No league wants to be dragged into a culture war, or partisan debate of any sort—particularly the NFL, which makes about $20 billion per year from a fan base that is about 56% conservative. The league experienced a significant ratings dip in the 2017 season, and had concerns that sponsors could turn away.
“I can’t believe the NFL is effectively getting rid of the always exciting Kick Off Return,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform prior to Friday’s game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers. “Such an exciting part of Football. What are they doing? BEGINNING OF THE END!”
As of Saturday morning the post had 2,600 ReTruths, the platform’s equivalent of a retweet, and had been liked more than 9,200 times. A representative for the NFL didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
Contrary to Trump’s post, the NFL’s new rules are designed to try to create more kickoff returns, which have dwindled in the past two decades due to other rules changes. The new approach is comprised of a series of new rules, but the biggest is that the kicking team isn’t allowed to move until the kicked ball hits the ground or a returner’s hands, limiting the high-speed collisions that have caused concerns in the past. Sportico wrote earlier this week about the new rules in more detail.
The league’s feud with Trump seven years ago led to significant consternation across NFL leadership. An ESPN report from the time described the agenda for a league meeting as: “Stop Trump from attacking our business. Find a way to persuade players to stop kneeling. Get the focus back to football.” Goodell spoke out against Trump’s comments, ratings rebounded in subsequent seasons, and the league’s business has never been stronger.