President Trump ramped up his criticism of this season’s new NFL kickoff rules in the wake of the Super Bowl late Sunday night.
The NFL to protect player safety instituted new rules this year that prevents the kicking team from leaving their positions to run down the field until the kicked ball is touched by a receiving team’s player.
The changes are meant to reduce collissions on the field and have resulted in fewer returns. Trump has repeatedly criticized them, a position he returned to after the game.
“The worst part of the Super Bowl, by far, was watching the Kickoff where, as the ball is sailing through the air, the entire field is frozen, stiff. College Football does not do it, and won’t! Whose idea was it to ruin the Game?” the president said in a Truth Social post.
The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Kansas CIty Chiefs in Sunday’s Super Bowl, breaking a two-year winning streak for Kansas City. Trump had picked the Chiefs to win the big game.
“Two great Quarterbacks in this game. Also, an unbelievable running back, and the absolute best tight end in football (Ever!). Incredible coaching,” Trump said in a Truth Social post last Friday, talking about the upcoming Super Bowl.
If they would only get rid of that really weird looking new Kickoff ‘deal,’ which actually makes football more dangerous, they would be doing everybody, especially the fans, a big favor,” he added.
The new rule salso moved kickoffs to the 35-yard line.
The Hill has reached out to the NFL for comment.
The win by the Eagles raises the question of whether Trump will invite the winning team to the White House, a tradition. Trump disinvited the Eagles seven years ago, pointing to differences over standing for the national anthem.
