On Thursday, February 12, 2026, President Donald Trumpissued pardons to five former NFL players whose legal troubles long shadowed their careers. The clemency list includes Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Klecko, three-time Super Bowl champion Nate Newton, standout backs Jamal Lewis and Travis Henry, and a posthumous pardon for Billy Cannon.
President-elect Donald Trump puts his fist in the air after finishing his speech at the Thank You Tour Rally on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016, at the Crown Coliseum.
President-elect Donald Trump puts his fist in the air after finishing his speech at the Thank You Tour Rally on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016, at the Crown Coliseum.
The announcement came through Alice Marie Johnson, whom Trump appointed as his administration’s “pardon czar” in February 2025.
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Johnson connected the pardons to common football themes. “As football reminds us, excellence is built on grit, grace, and the courage to rise again,” she wrote on social media, thanking President Trump for his “continued commitment to second chances.” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones even personally informed Newton of the pardon, adding a human side to the announcement.
I would like to thank President Trump and all of those that work under him who put this Pardon into effect. Thank you Sir for taking time out of your busy day in running this country. Thank you Sincerely and may God bless You. 🙏🏿
Nathaniel Newton Jr.
— Nathaniel Newton Jr (@61NateNewton) February 13, 2026
Klecko, a defensive lineman who anchored the New York Jets’ famed “New York Sack Exchange,” had pleaded guilty in 1993 to perjury related to an insurance fraud case. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023, cementing his legacy despite past legal trouble.
Newton was a dominant force on the Dallas Cowboys’ offensive line in the 1990s, a two-time All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowler who helped secure three Super Bowl rings. Legal issues stemming from federal drug trafficking convictions in the early 2000s had loomed over his post-career life.
Lewis made his mark as a powerful runner for the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns, winning Super Bowl XXXV and earning AP Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2003. His conviction for arranging a drug transaction early in his career was part of the background to his pardon.
Henry was once a top producer back with the Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans and Denver Broncos, whose career and later life were marred by a conviction for financing a multi-state cocaine operation.
Billy Cannon was a famous football player who won the Heisman Trophy while playing for Louisiana State University (LSU) and had a successful career in the American Football League (AFL). He was granted a pardon after his death for a counterfeiting crime he committed in the 1980s. After his football career, Cannon became a respected dentist and also worked as a medical administrator in a prison. He passed away in 2018.
The White House has not shared clear rules for selecting these individuals. This has led to discussions in the NFL about how to weigh a player’s on-field success against their off-field behavior when seeking help from the president.