Football fans have been left furious after Donald Trump predicted NFL franchises to win the Super Bowl weeks before the new season, with the president known for 'cursing' teams
President Donald Trump gestures as confetti falls at the 2026 Patriot Games
Donald Trump has cursed three NFL franchises ahead of the new season(Image: Getty Images)
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Donald Trump has infuriated NFL fans by "cursing" three franchises just weeks before the 2026 season kicks off.
The US president was in attendance at the finale of the inaugural Patriot Games in Ohio, which were held as part of the celebrations for America 250. Two high school athletes from each state were invited to compete at the event for the chance to win a scholarship fund awarded to one boy and one girl.
During the event, Trump spoke to ESPN's Laura Rutledge who asked the 80-year-old who he predicted to win the Super Bowl. Trump predicted three teams to be in the mix, with one franchise including his favorite quarterback.
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"I'll pick a few. I think New England [Patriots] looks good," Trump replied. "I think the [New York] Giants. I like their quarterback a lot. I think that they say the LA Rams are looking very strong, but I better not get into this too much. I'm gonna get myself in trouble if I do. 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."
It’s no surprise that Trump picked the Giants as Super Bowl contenders, given his strong relationship with quarterback Jaxson Dart. Alongside calling the 24-year-old “handsome” and a “male model”, Trump has previously tipped Dart to become a future Hall of Famer.
Dart even introduced Trump at a Republican rally in New York, a move that reportedly caused some tension inside the Giants’ locker room.
But despite being tipped for success, NFL fans were left furious with his response with many considering the President to have "cursed" those three teams. "Just jinxed the Giants, Pats and Rams all at once", said one X user. While another added: "Uh oh better hope the Trump curse has been broken or these teams are f----- this season lol".
The “Trump curse” is a tongue-in-cheek theory among sports fans that teams backed by or watched in person by Trump have a habit of suffering defeat.
The theory has gained traction in recent years following a string of high-profile losses involving teams Trump has either supported or watched from the stands.
During the NBA Finals, Trump attended Game 3 of the New York Knicks’ series against the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden, only for the Knicks to fall 115-111.
Trump was also in attendance when the Washington Nationals suffered a 7-1 defeat to the Houston Astros in Game 5 of the World Series during his first term. Last year, he was on hand at Bethpage Black as the United States suffered a Ryder Cup defeat to Europe.
Although Trump did not attend a USMNT World Cup match, he was heavily involved in the overturning of Folarin Balogun’s red card during their Round of 16 clash with Belgium — a game the USMNT ultimately lost 4-1.
And before England suffered their heartbreaking World Cup exit, Trump revealed that he had met Three Lions captain Harry Kane for a round of golf in 2024, leading some fans to jokingly suggest the “curse” had struck again.