President Trump just granted pardons to five former NFL players who served their time decades ago, restoring their rights and delivering on his commitment to second chances for Americans who’ve turned their lives around.
Story Snapshot
- Trump pardoned Joe Klecko, Nate Newton, Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry, and the late Billy Cannon for federal crimes committed between 1983 and 2009
- All five players had already completed their sentences ranging from three months to five years before receiving clemency
- Pardons restore full federal rights including voting, symbolizing the administration’s emphasis on redemption over permanent punishment
- Cowboys owner Jerry Jones personally informed Nate Newton of his pardon, highlighting support from NFL leadership
Presidential Clemency Restores Rights to NFL Veterans
President Donald Trump issued pardons to five former NFL players Thursday night through pardon czar Alice Marie Johnson, who announced the clemency grants via Twitter. The pardons covered Joe Klecko, Nate Newton, Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry, and the late Billy Cannon for federal crimes committed between 1983 and 2009. All five athletes had already served their full sentences years before receiving clemency. The pardons restore federal rights including voting privileges, marking another example of Trump’s commitment to offering second chances to Americans who’ve paid their debt to society and demonstrated rehabilitation.
Crimes and Sentences Behind Each Case
The pardoned players faced various federal charges spanning three decades. Jets defensive lineman Joe Klecko, inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023, served three months in 1993 for lying to a grand jury regarding car insurance fraud. Cowboys offensive lineman Nate Newton served 30 months after a 2002 arrest for possessing 175 pounds of marijuana. Ravens and Browns running back Jamal Lewis completed four months in 2004 for setting up a drug deal. Bills running back Travis Henry served three years starting in 2009 for supplying money to a drug ring. The late Billy Cannon, who played for the Oilers, Raiders, and Chiefs before dying in 2018, served five years beginning in 1983 for operating a counterfeit money scheme.
Second Chances Align With American Values
Alice Marie Johnson framed the pardons through a redemption narrative that resonates with conservative principles of personal responsibility and restoration. Johnson stated that “excellence is built on grit, grace, and the courage to rise again” when announcing the clemency grants. This approach reflects the administration’s belief that Americans who serve their sentences and demonstrate changed lives deserve full restoration of their rights rather than permanent federal stigmatization. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones personally contacted Newton to inform him of the pardon, demonstrating support from NFL leadership. These pardons follow Trump’s established pattern of granting clemency to individuals who’ve completed their sentences and shown genuine rehabilitation, rejecting the progressive preference for viewing criminals as permanent victims of circumstance rather than individuals capable of redemption through accountability.
Presidential Authority Used for Restoration
Trump exercised his constitutional pardon power to restore these former athletes’ full citizenship rights decades after they completed their sentences. The White House offered no immediate official comment beyond Johnson’s announcement, and Trump remained silent on Truth Social regarding the pardons. The clemency grants set a precedent for pardoning high-profile athletes post-sentence, potentially encouraging similar cases. This measured use of presidential authority reflects conservative values of limited government intervention paired with recognition that citizens who’ve paid their debt deserve restoration rather than lifelong federal restrictions. The pardons underscore Trump’s commitment to practical justice over the left’s preference for either permanent punishment or eliminating accountability altogether through soft-on-crime policies that endanger communities.
Sources:
Nate Newton, Travis Henry Among Ex-NFL Stars Pardoned by Trump
