The president's "ridiculous kickoff rule" complaint made another Sunday appearance, this time just before Donald Trump was to watch himself on 60 Minutes
23:29 ET, 02 Nov 2025Updated 23:31 ET, 02 Nov 2025
Donald Trump attends an NFL game between the Steelers and Jets
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Donald Trump wants the NFL kickoff rule changed back to its prior state
Donald Trump couldn't make it through a Sunday afternoon football game without taking a swing at the NFL again, even while counting down the minutes to watch himself on 60 Minutes. Football fans were simply pleased that the president is no longer attempting to control which franchises can construct new stadiums and their locations.
The president tuned in to the Bills-Chiefs matchup and fired up his Truth Social account to once again complain about the league's "ridiculous" kickoff rules. "I hate watching the NFL’s new kickoff rule," he wrote. "It's ridiculous. Takes the pageantry and glamor away from the game and does nothing for safety."
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"They should change back to what it used to be. Hopefully, college football will never make this ridiculous change. In the meantime, I'm getting ready to watch President Donald J. Trump (me!) on 60 Minutes." He then hoped that the platform would give him respect after repeatedly voicing his same complaint to the league.
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The NFL introduced its "dynamic kickoff" last season to encourage more returns while reducing high-speed collisions.
The move has been met with mixed reactions, but Trump has been a consistent critic, saying it ruins the game’s excitement and "looks like hell."
His complaints go back more than a year, highlighted by his appearance on the Bussin' with the Boys podcast. In October 2024, Trump said, "I think it's terrible. What are they doing? I think it's ugly, it doesn’t look like football."
That same month, he reacted to a Steelers–Jets game by posting, "When you have something that works, don’t tinker with it, you may end up with nothing."
By November 2024, he was venting about the change at campaign rallies.
"I watched the game the other day, I said, 'What the hell happened? They just kicked off and nobody moved.' Oh well. That's up to them, "Trump told supporters in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Following his reelection, he intensified his criticism of social media, claiming it marks the start of the NFL's decline. When the 2025 season started, Trump revisited the issue, stating that the league should abolish the kickoff rule.
President Donald Trump reacts to Super Bowl LIX between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles
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President Donald Trump is a big time sports fan
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"It's at least as dangerous as the normal kickoff and looks like hell. The ball is moving, and the players are not. The exact opposite of what football is all about. 'Sissy football' is bad for America."
Through Week 8 of the 2025 season, the NFL has logged roughly 1,150 kickoffs, with an unprecedented 77.5 percent return rate, which is more than double last year's mark and the highest since 2006, according to NFL special teams data.
Touchbacks are down to 17 percent, while average return yardage has climbed to 25.2 yards.