President Donald Trump is anticipated to attend Super Bowl LIX this Sunday, and he seems eager for the event. Should he be present, Trump will witness the Kansas City Chiefs aiming to become the first team in history to secure three consecutive Lombardi Trophies. Their opponents, the Philadelphia Eagles, are making their third Super Bowl appearance in seven years. This matchup is a rematch of the Super Bowl from two years ago, which the Chiefs won with a score of 38-35.
On Truth Social, Trump offered a brief preview of the game, commending the “two great quarterbacks,” Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts, as well as an “unbelievable running back,” presumably referring to Saquon Barkley, and the “incredible coaching” from Andy Reid and Nick Sirianni. In his post, he also seemed to declare Travis Kelce as the “best tight end … ever.”
However, Trump expressed a desire for the NFL to revert to its previous kickoff rules. He stated, “If they would only get rid of that really weird looking new Kickoff ‘deal,’ which actually makes football more dangerous, they would be doing everybody, especially the fans, a big favor.” This isn’t the first time Trump has criticized the rule; he previously called it “ridiculous” shortly after his election victory.
He also raised this issue during an appearance on the “Let’s Go!” podcast with sportscaster Jim Gray and former New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. In a post on Truth Social in early September, he remarked, “I can’t believe the NFL is effectively getting rid of the always exciting Kick Off Return. Such an exciting part of football. What are they doing? BEGINNING OF THE END!”
The NFL is currently in its first season implementing the new kickoff rule, which was adapted from the XFL. Under this rule, players cannot move until the ball is touched or hits the ground. All players on the kicking team are positioned with one foot on the receiving team’s 40-yard line, while the receiving team can set up between their own 30 and 35, with at least nine players facing the kicking team. This new regulation has eliminated surprise onside kicks.