American football fans never thought they would see the day - the head of the National Football League standing shoulder to shoulder with Donald Trump in the Oval Office.
Trump has frequently traded blows with the NFL since he first became US president in 2017, but he and America's most popular sports league have been sparring partners for more than 40 years.
Trump's 'feud' with the NFL has involved him testifying against the league and failing, on multiple occasions, to buy a team. It may even have propelled him to the presidency.
When NFL commissioner Roger Goodell joined Trump in May to announce the NFL Draft would be coming to Washington DC for the first time, it seemed Trump had finally made friends with arguably his oldest foe. Well, maybe not. With this season set to conclude with Super Bowl 60 on Sunday, BBC Sport examines Trump's long and complicated relationship with the NFL and why it could be set for another twist.
### Lawsuit fails to force league merger
Already a real-estate magnate by that point, Trump viewed owning an American football team as a means of building his brand. After attempting to acquire an NFL franchise, a 37-year-old Trump bought the New Jersey Generals in September 1983 as founding members of the USFL.
The Generals improved during their two seasons under Trump but lost in the first round of the playoffs in both 1984 and 1985. However, Trump had made his intentions clear from the outset that he didn't want the USFL to remain a spring league; he wanted to go directly against the NFL in autumn-winter.
In August 1984, Trump convinced team owners to vote on switching to an autumn-winter schedule from 1986. The USFL subsequently filed an anti-trust lawsuit against the NFL, seeking damages worth $1.7 billion. The trial lasted 42 days, with the jury concluding that the NFL was an 'illegal monopoly' but awarding the USFL only $3, resulting in the league folding soon after due to financial troubles.
### Could Trump create more NFL history?
After becoming the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl last February, Trump looked to have achieved a complete turnaround with the NFL. Goodell and the Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris joined him at the White House to announce that the US capital would host the 2027 draft. However, Trump has expressed intentions to block those plans unless the team reverts to its previous name, which is considered offensive. Trump continues to mix politics with sports, creating an increasingly intriguing narrative around the NFL.
Trump has frequently traded blows with the NFL since he first became US president in 2017, but he and America's most popular sports league have been sparring partners for more than 40 years.
Trump's 'feud' with the NFL has involved him testifying against the league and failing, on multiple occasions, to buy a team. It may even have propelled him to the presidency.
When NFL commissioner Roger Goodell joined Trump in May to announce the NFL Draft would be coming to Washington DC for the first time, it seemed Trump had finally made friends with arguably his oldest foe. Well, maybe not. With this season set to conclude with Super Bowl 60 on Sunday, BBC Sport examines Trump's long and complicated relationship with the NFL and why it could be set for another twist.
### Lawsuit fails to force league merger
Already a real-estate magnate by that point, Trump viewed owning an American football team as a means of building his brand. After attempting to acquire an NFL franchise, a 37-year-old Trump bought the New Jersey Generals in September 1983 as founding members of the USFL.
The Generals improved during their two seasons under Trump but lost in the first round of the playoffs in both 1984 and 1985. However, Trump had made his intentions clear from the outset that he didn't want the USFL to remain a spring league; he wanted to go directly against the NFL in autumn-winter.
In August 1984, Trump convinced team owners to vote on switching to an autumn-winter schedule from 1986. The USFL subsequently filed an anti-trust lawsuit against the NFL, seeking damages worth $1.7 billion. The trial lasted 42 days, with the jury concluding that the NFL was an 'illegal monopoly' but awarding the USFL only $3, resulting in the league folding soon after due to financial troubles.
### Could Trump create more NFL history?
After becoming the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl last February, Trump looked to have achieved a complete turnaround with the NFL. Goodell and the Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris joined him at the White House to announce that the US capital would host the 2027 draft. However, Trump has expressed intentions to block those plans unless the team reverts to its previous name, which is considered offensive. Trump continues to mix politics with sports, creating an increasingly intriguing narrative around the NFL.
