Donald Trump
Donald Trump Picks Super Bowl Contenders and Names Young QB He Likes ‘a LOT’ 1
New England Patriots fans got an unexpected endorsement this week from an unlikely source at a national event. President Donald Trump named some of his early picks to watch this NFL season during his appearance at the Patriot Games finale in Ohio, where an ESPN reporter asked him directly which teams he had his eye on heading into the 2026 season.
Donald Trump names early Super Bowl contenders on camera live
ESPN’s Laura Rutledge asked Trump directly which NFL team he was keeping his eyes on. In response, Donald Trump named three franchises without hesitating before catching himself mid-answer.
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[US, Mexico & Canada customers only] Jun 8, 2026; New York, New York, USA; U.S. President Donald Trump applauds as he attends before game three of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Howard-Reuters via Imagn Images
“Well, I mean, maybe I’ll pick a few. I think New England looks good. I think the Giants. I like their quarterback a lot. I think that they say the L.A. Rams are looking very strong,” Trump said. “But I better not get into this too much. I’m going to get myself in trouble if I do. But I think you have a lot of good teams, a lot of great teams. And we’ll see how it turns out. I’ll be watching.”
The mention of the Giants tied directly back to quarterback Jaxson Dart, who Trump has praised in personal terms since Dart introduced him at a political rally in May.
The Rams currently sit as the clear preseason betting favorite in most early sportsbook projections, while the Patriots have drawn positive buzz around quarterback Drake Maye entering his third season. Trump made no formal single prediction, naming all three teams instead.
Dart’s connection to Trump has stirred controversy before in New York
Dart’s introduction of Trump at a May rally in Rockland County drew immediate backlash inside the Giants locker room, with linebacker Abdul Carter publicly pushing back online at the time. Head coach John Harbaugh later fielded questions from reporters about whether Dart had made a mistake with the appearance.
Dart has since focused on football, though his availability remains a real question entering his second season after five separate concussion evaluations as a rookie last year. Trump’s football commentary has also followed a familiar pattern in recent years, regularly weighing in on games without committing to a single hard prediction.
None of the three teams Trump named have been officially installed as this season’s favorite, and oddsmakers currently favor the Rams by a wider margin than the other two combined. The 2026 regular season kicks off in September at stadiums across the league.
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