Trump Pardons Five Former NFL Players, Including Posthumous Grant

Former President Donald Trump issued pardons to five former professional football players on Thursday. The pardons included one posthumous grant and covered crimes from perjury to drug trafficking. The announcement was made by Alice Marie Johnson, a White House official overseeing pardons.

The clemency recipients were identified as Joe Klecko, Nate Newton, Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry, and the late Billy Cannon.

Alice Marie Johnson stated that Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones informed Nate Newton of his pardon.

The White House did not provide a comment regarding the reasons for the pardons.

Pardoned Individuals and Their Offenses

• Joe Klecko: Pleaded guilty to perjury, related to an insurance fraud investigation. Klecko, a defensive lineman, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023.
• Nate Newton: Pleaded guilty to a federal drug trafficking charge. Authorities found $10,000 in his vehicle and 175 pounds of marijuana in an accompanying car. Newton was a two-time All-Pro player and six-time Pro Bowler.
• Jamal Lewis: Pleaded guilty in a drug case involving attempts to arrange a drug deal via cellphone. Lewis, a running back, was named an All-Pro once and was the 2003 AP Offensive Player of the Year.
• Travis Henry: Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic cocaine, financing a drug ring operating between Colorado and Montana. Henry was a running back and one-time Pro Bowler.
• Billy Cannon (posthumous): Admitted to counterfeiting in the mid-1980s, following financial difficulties. Cannon, a two-time All-Pro player and two-time Pro Bowler, also won the 1959 Heisman Trophy. He passed away in 2018.