Trump Pardons 5 Former NFL Players for Criminal Convictions

The surprise pardons were announced by the White House on Thursday.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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President Donald Trump has pardoned five former professional football players - Joe Klecko, Nate Newton, Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry, and the late Billy Cannon - for various crimes ranging from perjury to drug trafficking. The pardons were announced by White House pardon czar Alice Marie Johnson, who thanked Trump for his "continued commitment to second chances."

Why it matters

The pardons of these former NFL players, some of whom had high-profile criminal convictions, highlight Trump's willingness to use his presidential powers to grant clemency, often to those with connections to the sports and entertainment industries. This continues a trend of Trump bypassing the traditional Justice Department pardon review process in favor of a more ad-hoc approach.

The details

The players pardoned include: Joe Klecko, a former New York Jets star who pleaded guilty to perjury; Nate Newton, a two-time Super Bowl winner with the Dallas Cowboys who was convicted of drug trafficking; Jamal Lewis, a former Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns running back who pleaded guilty to a drug case; Travis Henry, a Denver Broncos running back who pleaded guilty to cocaine trafficking; and Billy Cannon, a Heisman Trophy winner who admitted to counterfeiting in the 1980s. The White House did not provide a specific explanation for why Trump chose to pardon these particular individuals.

  • The pardons were announced by the White House on Thursday, February 13, 2026.

The players

Joe Klecko

A former star defensive lineman for the New York Jets who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023. He pleaded guilty to perjury after lying to a federal grand jury investigating insurance fraud.

Nate Newton

A two-time All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman who won three Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys. He pleaded guilty to a federal drug trafficking charge after authorities found $10,000 in his truck and 175 pounds of marijuana in an accompanying car.

Jamal Lewis

A former running back who played for the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns. He pleaded guilty in a drug case in which he used a cellphone to try to set up a drug deal shortly after being a top draft pick in 2000.

Travis Henry

A former running back who played for the Denver Broncos. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic cocaine for financing a drug ring that moved the drug between Colorado and Montana.

Billy Cannon

A former Houston Oilers, Oakland Raiders, and Kansas City Chiefs player who won the 1959 Heisman Trophy while at Louisiana State University. He admitted to counterfeiting in the mid-1980s after a series of bad investments and debts left him broke.

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What they’re saying

“As football reminds us, excellence is built on grit, grace, and the courage to rise again. So is our nation.”

— Alice Marie Johnson, White House pardon czar (X)

“A lot of people have asked me for pardons. I call him Puff Daddy, (he) has asked me for a pardon.”

— Donald Trump (CNN)

The takeaway

Trump's pardons of these former NFL players, some with high-profile criminal convictions, continue his pattern of bypassing the traditional Justice Department pardon review process in favor of a more ad-hoc approach that caters to his personal connections and allies in the sports and entertainment industries.