President Donald Trump will make history as the first sitting U.S. president to attend the Super Bowl when he appears at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans on Sunday, February 9, 2025. The decision has sparked intense debate and criticism. USA Today columnist Mike Freeman argued that Trump, whom he called “the most divisive president of our lifetime,” would “soil” the event and undermine its traditional role as a moment of unity for Americans.
Trump’s relationship with the NFL has been complex, particularly regarding his previous criticism of players kneeling during the national anthem, which led many of his supporters to boycott the league. His decision to attend now has drawn attention to this shift in stance.
The NFL has decided to remove its “End Racism” message from the end zones, replacing it with “Choose Love” and “It Takes All of Us” as part of its “Inspire Change” initiative. While the league maintains this change responds to recent national tragedies, including the New Orleans terror attack and Los Angeles wildfires, some observers link it to Trump’s anticipated attendance. The decision was conveyed internally to high-level employees, with at least one official expressing concern about the timing given Trump’s controversial comments on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has reinforced the league’s ongoing commitment to diversity initiatives, emphasizing their positive impact on the organization. He highlighted that these efforts have yielded meaningful results and reflect the broad and diverse makeup of the league’s fan base, the communities it represents, and the players who make up its teams.
Players from the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles have responded to news of Trump’s attendance. Eagles offensive lineman Jordan Mailata said, “That’s cool, but Donald is not on that field,” while Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill commented that it will be “cool to have the president at the game.”
The historic presidential visit will bring unprecedented security measures to the event, which is already classified as a National Special Security Event. Officials have confirmed there are no credible threats to the event. In recent years, Trump has shown increasing involvement in sports events, particularly college football games.
Trump’s appearance at the Super Bowl will include a pre-recorded interview with Fox News Channel’s Bret Baier. This marks the first time a U.S. president has participated in a pregame Super Bowl interview in three years.
The event is expected to draw other high-profile attendees, including Taylor Swift, who will support Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce, setting up potential competition for television airtime between Trump and Swift. Louisiana Representative and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson is also expected to attend the game alongside Trump at the Caesars Superdome.
Trump has recently expressed admiration for Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, and Mahomes’ wife has publicly defended Trump on social media. The game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles marks Trump’s first Super Bowl attendance as president, despite his previous involvement with professional football, including his unsuccessful bid to purchase the Buffalo Bills.
