The NFL has experienced several off-field incidents so far in 2026. There’s also been notable sound bites produced this time of year from former players, coaches, and other personnel–including U.S. President Donald Trump.
On Friday morning, five former NFL players received news from the executive branch of the United States government. Joe Klecko, Nate Newton, Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry, and the late Billy Cannon were all issued pardons for past crimes by President Trump.
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The pardons were issued this morning by President Trump, effectively wiping their records clean of these crimes. These pardons addressed crimes from minor drug charges to perjury.
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… pic.twitter.com/Y4FC5lQwGE
— Alice Marie Johnson (@AliceMarieFree) February 13, 2026
Klecko, a former New York Jets player, was convicted of perjury during a federal investigation. In that investigation, he lied to a federal grand jury regarding insurance fraud.
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Newton, a former Pro Bowl offensive lineman for the Dallas Cowboys, was pardoned of drug trafficking charges. He and another man were pulled over, which led to police discovering 175 pounds of marijuana.
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Henry, a former Pro Bowl running back, was also convicted of drug trafficking. Additionally, he was also convicted of drug trafficking financing.
Lewis, who won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens before joining the Cleveland Browns, was convicted of attempting to purchase drugs. In that conviction, he was found to have set up a drug deal following being drafted in 2000.
Tennessee’s Jamal Lewis is grabbed by Vanderbilt’s Carlton Hall in January 31, 1997. 0203 Kcsp Recruit Lewis03
Cannon, a former Heisman winner at LSU, was convicted in the 1980s and was pardoned posthumously as he passed away in 2018. He was convicted of counterfeiting.
President Trump has not yet released a statement. White House pardon czar Alice Mary Johnson announced the pardons in a social media post.
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