Trump Pardons Former NFL Players Convicted on Fraud, Drug Charges

President Donald Trump speaks during an event on coal power in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

President Donald Trump on Thursday issued pardons for several former NFL players who were convicted on various drug and fraud charges.

The pardons were announced Thursday night by Pardon Czar Alice Marie Johnson, who said:

Today, the President granted pardons to five former NFL players—Joe Klecko, Nate Newton, Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry, and the late great Dr. Billy Cannon.

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

Special thanks to Jerry Jones for personally sharing the news with Nate Newton. I’m holding Nate’s pardon in my hands today—what a blessed day.

Grateful to @POTUS for his continued commitment to second chances. Mercy changes lives.

Klecko, 72, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023. He played almost his entire career with the New York Jets, becoming one of the members of the iconic defensive line nicknamed the “New York Sack Exchange.” As noted in a report from The Athletic, Klecko was convicted in 1993 for bankruptcy fraud. He was sentenced to three months in prison.

Newton, 64, played 13 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. He helped the team win three Super Bowls and was selected to the Pro Bowl six times. He was also a two-time first-team All-Pro. Not long after his playing career came to an end, he was arrested multiple times for drug-related offenses.

Lewis, 46, last played in the NFL in 2009. He helped the Baltimore Ravens win a Super Bowl his rookie season, and was the league’s rushing champion in 2003. He pleaded guilty to using a cell phone to facilitate a drug transaction in 2005, and served a brief prison sentence during the 2007 offseason.

Henry, 47, played the first four seasons of his career with the Buffalo Bills. In 2002, he rushed for a career-high 1,438 yards with 13 touchdowns to earn his sole Pro Bowl selection. He also has stints with the Tennessee Titans and the Denver Broncos. In 2009, he was sentenced to three years in prison on federal cocaine trafficking charges.

Cannon was pardoned posthumously, as he died in 2018. He was selected with the first pick in the 1960 American Football League Draft and won three AFL championships during his time with the Houston Oilers and the Oakland Raiders. In 1983, he pleaded guilty to being involved in a large-scale counterfeiting operation. He later served three years in prison as a result.

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