The NFL has long found itself in the political crosshairs, but the very public implosion of Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s alliance offers a timely warning. As Trump prepares another possible term in the White House, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and team owners should take note: trying to appease Trump only invites deeper entanglement—and eventual backlash.
NFL leaders feared Donald Trump’s wrath once—will they repeat history or resist this time?
Donald Trump’s obsession with the NFL dates back years, from his failed USFL venture to his relentless culture war surrounding national anthem protests. In 2016, quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s peaceful protest against racial injustice ignited national headlines. Trump seized on it, turning the NFL into a punching bag for political theater.
Rather than weather the storm, the league reacted in fear. “The NFL got played,” as Michael Rosenberg bluntly wrote. Owners scrambled behind closed doors, and policies were drafted to limit protest. Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys, even said players who kneeled would be benched. Yet despite these concessions, Trump kept the pressure on. Why? Because for him, the NFL was never the point—it was just a stage.
The NFL’s mistake was believing Trump had a finish line. As Rosenberg explained, “You can please Trump, but you will never satisfy him.” The moment the league began bending, it invited more attacks. By 2020, following the murder of George Floyd, Goodell admitted he should have listened to Kaepernick from the start—an overdue acknowledgment that political fear had overridden moral clarity.
Fast forward to today, and Elon Musk—a recent Trump ally—is the latest to fall out of favor. Their relationship collapsed swiftly and brutally, underscoring a pattern: no matter how loyal, everyone becomes expendable to Trump once they’re no longer useful.
NFL leadership must internalize this: Trump isn’t after policy change—he’s after dominance. Any attempt to win his approval risks compromising the league’s independence and values. If Trump targets the NFL again in a future administration, the best move may be to stand firm, not fold.
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Cam Newton slams Antonio Brown for trying to sabotage Shilo Sanders’ NFL future over viral training video controversyAs the political landscape heats up, the NFL must resist becoming a pawn again. Musk’s downfall is not just tech-world drama—it’s a crystal-clear message to Roger Goodell and the NFL: political appeasement is a losing game.
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