The White House handed out pardons to five former NFL players Thursday and the backlash was louder than crowded stadium.
On Thursday, White House pardon czar Alice Marie Johnson announced that President Donald Trump had pardoned five former NFL players, including Joe Klecko, Nate Newton, Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry, and the late great Dr. Billy Cannon.
“As football reminds us, excellence is built on grit, grace, and the courage to rise again. So is our nation,“ Marie wrote on X/Twitter. “Special thanks to Jerry Jones for personally sharing the news with Nate Newton. I’m holding Nate’s pardon in my hands today — what a blessed day.
“Grateful to (Trump) for his continued commitment to second chances. Mercy changes lives.”
The announcement quickly drew backlash across social media, with critics accusing the administration of hypocrisy and selective justice.
“‘Mercy changes lives(?)’ so you mean to tell me mercy isn’t being ‘soft on crime?’ Boy who would have (known),” one user wrote.
Another added: “Party of law and order, huh? What a joke.”
The pardons span decades and include a range of federal offenses, from perjury and counterfeiting to drug trafficking.
Here’s a closer look at the cases tied to each former player:
Former Jets lineman, and Hall of Famer, Joe Klecko pleaded guilty to perjury in the early 1990s. He admitted to lying to a federal grand jury during an investigation into an auto-insurance fraud scheme. He was originally sentenced to three months in jail.
Former Cowboys lineman, and three-time Super Bowl champion, Nate Newton was convicted of drug trafficking in 2002. He was arrested with 175 pounds of marijuana in his vehicle and served 30 months in federal prison.
This pardon in particular enraged another user, who commented, “F—ing Nate Newton was arrested (two) separate times with over 600 lbs of weed. I’m sure there are more deserving people for a pardon.”
Former Ravens running back Jamal Lewis pleaded guilty in 2004 to using a cell phone to facilitate a cocaine deal. Though no drugs actually changed hands, he admitted to helping broker the transaction and served four months in prison.
Pro-Bowl running back Travis Henry was sentenced to three years in federal prison in 2009 for conspiracy to traffic cocaine. He was convicted of financing a drug ring that moved cocaine between Colorado and Montana.
Two-time Pro-Bowler Dr. Billy Cannon, the 1959 Heisman Trophy winner, was pardoned posthumously. In 1983, he was sentenced for his lead role in a massive counterfeiting operation. He had funded the printing of millions of dollars in fake $100 bills and served two and a half years in prison.
