In a surprising development that sent shockwaves through the sports community, President Donald Trump issued pardons on Thursday, February 12, to five former NFL players convicted of offenses ranging from perjury to drug trafficking, among them Dallas Cowboys icon Nate Newton and Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Klecko.
White House pardon adviser Alice Marie Johnson shared the clemency news on social media, noting that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones personally informed Newton. Former Baltimore Ravens running back Jamal Lewis, ex-Denver Broncos player Travis Henry, and the late Billy Cannon—Heisman Trophy winner who starred for the Houston Oilers, Oakland Raiders, and Kansas City Chiefs—were also pardoned.
“As football reminds us, excellence is built on grit, grace, and the courage to rise again. So is our nation,” Johnson said while expressing gratitude to President Trump for supporting second chances.
Now 64, Newton spent 13 seasons with Dallas and earned six Pro Bowl honors as a cornerstone of the “Great Wall of Dallas” offensive line that led the team to three Super Bowl titles in the 1990s. His career fell apart in 2001 after authorities found 175 pounds of marijuana and $10,000 during a traffic stop. He pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking in 2002 and served roughly two and a half years in prison.
The two-time All-Pro expressed his appreciation Friday morning on social media, thanking Jones for delivering the news and writing, “May God bless You, Mr. Jones and your Family.”
Since leaving prison, Newton has dramatically changed his life, shedding nearly half his body weight and devoting time to community initiatives. The pardon clears a federal conviction that has followed him for more than twenty years.
Klecko, a defensive lineman known for tormenting quarterbacks during his New York Jets tenure, was pardoned following his 1993 perjury conviction for lying to a federal grand jury investigating insurance fraud. He served a three-month sentence. The four-time Pro Bowler was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023, securing his place among football’s elite despite past legal issues.
Lewis, the 2003 AP Offensive Player of the Year with the Baltimore Ravens, pleaded guilty to using a cellphone to help arrange a cocaine transaction. The events happened shortly after he was drafted fifth overall in 2000, though he wasn’t indicted until 2004. He served four months in prison and later played for the Cleveland Browns.
Henry, a running back who made a Pro Bowl while playing for the Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, and Denver Broncos, pleaded guilty in 2009 to conspiracy to traffic cocaine. Prosecutors alleged he financed a drug network operating between Colorado and Montana. He received a three-year federal sentence.
Cannon’s posthumous pardon carries notable historical significance. The LSU standout captured the 1959 Heisman Trophy and produced one of college football’s iconic plays with his 89-yard punt return against Ole Miss. He earned two All-Pro selections over an 11-year pro career, spending most of it in the AFL with the Houston Oilers and Oakland Raiders before ending with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Later financial hardships pushed Cannon into counterfeiting in the mid-1980s after poor investments and rising debts left him ruined. He served two and a half years in prison before rebuilding his life, ultimately becoming a dentist and working at the Louisiana State Penitentiary until his death in 2018.
The White House did not elaborate on why these particular players were selected or why now, though Trump has long shown enthusiasm for football and often attended games during his first term. Johnson—whose own sentence was commuted in 2018 and fully pardoned in 2020—has become a vocal advocate for rehabilitation and second chances.
The pardons arrive as the NFL offseason gains momentum, with teams gearing up for free agency and the 2026 draft. For Newton, Klecko, Lewis, and Henry, the clemency offers an opportunity to move forward free of federal convictions. For Cannon’s family, it provides a measure of vindication for a man whose brilliance on the field was overshadowed by later mistakes.
The Cowboys declined to comment Friday when contacted by local media outlets, though Jones’ personal involvement in notifying Newton highlights the team’s enduring support for one of its stars from the championship era. Newton is still cherished by Dallas fans who remember his dominant presence on the offensive line.
These latest pardons add to the growing list of clemency actions Trump has undertaken since returning to office in January 2025, with Vice President JD Vance also backing criminal justice reform. Johnson said she held Newton’s pardon documents in her hands Thursday, calling it “what a blessed day” and stressing that mercy changes lives.
