Donald Trump says he skips NFL kickoffs as he calls football boring
Donald Trump has blasted the NFL's controversial kick-off rule, accusing the league of ruining American football.
Donald Trump has blasted the NFL's controversial kick-off rule, accusing the league of ruining American football.
The US president, 80, made the remarks during a campaign rally in Iowa on Sunday (01.11.26), where he was supporting Republican Senate candidate Ashley Hinson ahead of the midterm elections.
He told the crowd: "Who the hell wants to watch football? It's boring as hell!"
Trump explained that he now deliberately misses the opening moments of games because he dislikes the way players line up under the league's revised rules.
He said: "I start the game about 2 minutes in."
The president argued that the traditional format was far more entertaining, with players running down the field immediately after the ball was kicked.
He also urged universities, including Iowa and Iowa State, not to introduce similar changes to college football.
Trump described the new arrangement as unglamorous and claimed it had taken away part of the sport's appeal.
The NFL introduced its dynamic kick-off system in 2024 to reduce dangerous high-speed collisions while encouraging more returns.
Under the rules, most players line up closer together and must remain still until the ball lands or is touched by the receiving team.
League owners voted to make the format permanent in April 2025 following its first season.
NFL figures showed that kick-off returns increased by 57 per cent in 2024, while the concussion rate on returns fell by 43 per cent compared with the 2021 to 2023 average.
Trump has repeatedly criticised the change since its introduction, previously describing it as the beginning of the end for the league.
He also raised his concerns after attending the Super Bowl in February 2025 and has discussed the issue with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
Kansas City Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub previously challenged the president's criticism, arguing that he did not understand what he was watching.
Despite Trump's objections, a survey of 77 NFL players by The Athletic found that more than 70 per cent supported the revised rules.
