United States President Donald Trump almost never misses a chance to miss a major sporting event, and last season’s Super Bowl LIX saw him become becoming the first sitting President to attend the event, which made it all the more shocking when he announced that he wouldn’t be attending the Super Bowl this year on account of his displeasure with Bad Bunny as the headliner for halftime show.
Still, as irked as he may be with the league’s decision-making, he’s following closely to its goings on. On Wednesday, it was reported that legendary head coach Bill Belichick fell short of the 40 necessary votes to qualify for the Hall of Fame on his first ballot. Now, the President is demanding that the ruling be overturned.
“It is the same mindset that gave pro football the new and unwatchable “Sissy” Kickoff Rule, that made it possible for Bill Belichick to not be elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Both are ridiculous and should be overturned!” Trump wrote on social media.
Trump’s demand is especially shocking when considering that in his first term in office, Belichick declined to accept the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Trump.
Trump is known to hold a grudge, but it would appear that his respect for Belichick’s on-field accomplishments, which include eight Super Bowl titles and six as a head coach, outweighs any bad blood.
People reacted to Trump’s call for an overturn on social media.
“Facts. Weak rules ruin great institutions. Excellence built the game. Toughness, merit and results should run it again,” one person wrote on Twitter.
“He will be when his career is done- -However he owes 80% of his success to Tom Brady- No question about that!” one fan said of Belichick.
“Is anyone keeping up with how many times he has ‘truthed’ about the NFL kickoff rule?” someone else wanted to know.
Belchick will almost certainly be inducted into the Hall of Fame next year, but then again, that’s what everyone thought this time around.
About Qwame Skinner
Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. In addition to his sports coverage at Comeback Media, Qwame writes novels, and his debut; The First Casualty, an adult fantasy, is out now.