President Donald Trump again criticized the NFL’s somewhat new kickoff rule intended to decrease injuries and increase returns. But what enraged critics was the timing.
As the country reels from higher prices amid a prolonged war of choice waged by the president, observers slammed him for cluelessness during his midterm rally Sunday in Dubuque, Iowa, just two days before the midterm election.
“What kick off rule going to do fix our country turd,” one viewer swiped.
“Always on top of the most important issues facing Americans,” another wrote on X.
“Sounds like this cognitive test expert really has his finger on the pulse of this country,” someone else snarked.
“Who the hell wants to watch football?” Trump said. “It’s boring as hell and I hate, I hate that new kickoff rule where you hit the ball and people are standing there like a bunch of id―”
“The NFL should go back to a thing where you kick the ball, people get the ball, everybody is running,” he added. “It is so unglamorous what they’ve done to kickoff rule. And it doesn’t help people. ... I can’t watch. You know what I do? I start the game about 2 minutes in. I don’t wanna watch the kickoff. I think it’s so disparaging. They have no right to ruin football by doing shit like that.”
The kickoff rule was implemented in the 2024 season. The kickoff team, but not the kicker, begins much farther downfield. Neither team can run until the ball hits the field or a player in the “landing zone” or end zone.
At least one NFL coach put the president in his place last season over his complaints.
“He doesn’t even know what he’s looking at,” Dave Toub, an assistant coach for the Kansas City Chiefs, said last November. “He has no idea what’s going on with the kickoff rule. So, I mean, take that for what it’s worth. And I hope he hears it.”
Check out the aforementioned reactions and others below.