Fact Check: Did Trump ever actually play football?

LANDOVER, MARYLAND: President Donald Trump arrived on Sunday, October 9, to watch an NFL game at Northwest Stadium. His appearance drew major attention, as no sitting US president had attended a regular-season game since 1978. Soon after, confusion spread online, with many asking if he had actually played football.

So what’s the real story? Did Trump ever play football or have any kind of professional background in the sport? And what did he actually say about the game and the playoff picture? Here’s a straightforward look at the facts behind the viral claims.

Claim: Trump’s NFL appearance reignites football-playing debate

The president attended the NFL game to honor military veterans. After he showed up, confusion began spreading online, and many people started wondering whether Trump had ever played football or competed in college. Most of the speculation stemmed from his presence at the game.

While attending the NFL game, the question came up about whether the president had played football during his teenage years in high school. Trump told the commentators, “We had a good time and I loved it. I actually love playing football; we had a good time with it.”

Jonathan Vilma in the Fox News box then joked, “We were trying to look up your stats, how many touchdowns did you have back then…6,7?” referencing the viral “6,7” trend. 

Fact Check: Trump’s football past explained

The truth is a mix of yes and no. Yes, Donald Trump did play football, but no, he wasn’t a professional player. Trump played the sport during his time at the New York Military Academy, where he was a three-sport athlete. According to ProFootball Network, he played for about a year between 1959 and 1964.

When talking about those days, Trump explained, “I played tight end, but I mean it was not quite football like this... we had a quarterback who didn't have a very strong arm. I would say 10 yards was a long pass.”

He also showed interest in the sport beyond playing. In 1983, Trump bought the New Jersey Generals, a team in the newly formed USFL. His involvement made it clear he enjoyed being around competitive sports and had real enthusiasm for football.

There’s no doubt Trump has a soft spot for football and sports in general. Over the past year, he’s appeared at several major events. He attended a Pittsburgh Steelers game during his campaign and has also been seen at UFC fights, the Daytona 500, the US Open, and most recently the Ryder Cup.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online