• Loading stock data...
Sunday, January 12, 2025

NFL Says There’s ‘No Issue’ With Players Doing ‘Trump Dance’

As the viral dance sweeps the sports world, the NFL said it has no problem with players doing it.

Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

The NFL will not crack down on players doing the “Trump Dance,” Front Office Sports has learned.

The league has “no issue” with the “Donald Dance” performed as an on-field celebration by Brock Bowers of the Raiders, Calvin Ridley of the Titans, Za’Darius Smith of the Lions, and other players this weekend, league spokesman Brian McCarthy told me Monday night. The league is also not issuing any directives to TV partners Fox Sports, ESPN, CBS Sports, NBC Sports and Amazon Prime Video on how, or if, they should cover players performing President-elect Donald Trump’s signature shimmy after a touchdown or big play. 

“There’s no issue with a celebratory dance such as what took place yesterday or the previous week with the 49ers on November 10,” said McCarthy [no relation]. As for TV coverage, he adds, “It’s up to the networks to cover them as they see fit.”

The NFL rule book allows for player celebrations—as long as they’re not excessive or feature violent or sexually suggestive acts. But players can get in trouble for wearing printed hats and T-shirts that tout their political and personal opinions. 49ers star Nick Bosa, for example, was fined $11,255 not for doing the Trump dance after a sack (he did) but for wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat on the field. Bosa’s MAGA hat violated the league’s uniform/equipment rules because it bore a “personal” statement. 

NFL players performing the dance that CNN says is taking the “sports world by storm” indicates a shift from eight years ago, when 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick inspired virtually the entire league to take a knee to support social justice. That led the NFL to add end-zone stencils with messages such as “End Racism.”

Former Bears star Brian Urlacher said “silent Trump supporters” feel emboldened after his election victory over Vice President Kamala Harris on Nov. 5. The viral Donald dance was also adopted by UFC champ Jon Jones after his win at UFC 309 on Saturday night and soccer star Christian Pulisic during the U.S. men’s team’s win over Jamaica on Monday night. 

“People were scared for a while. You don’t want people to talk bad about you. You know how we’ve been talked about the last four years if you’re a Donald Trump supporter,” Urlacher said on Fox News’ Jesse Watters Primetime. “But I think now, no one’s scared anymore. It’s nice to see these guys coming out.”

Tom Jones, senior media writer at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies, agrees with the league’s call not to crack down on Trump dancers.

“I don’t see how the NFL could stop these Trump-dance celebrations. Like any celebration, as long as it’s not significantly disrupting the game, the NFL should allow it,” Jones told me. “If you were to stop this celebration, you would seemingly have to ban all celebrations. I’m sure the NFL isn’t crazy about celebrations with a political bent, but putting a ban on them would open up a whole other set of problems. My guess is it’s all just a fad that is going to fade pretty quickly anyway. The NFL is probably thinking that, too.”

The NFL’s on-the-record comments should put to rest rumors the league plans to “ban” the Trump dance—or order TV networks not to show it. The country’s most popular sports league can’t be seen taking sides politically against an incoming president. Especially since Trump made the NFL—and protesting players—a public target during his first administration. Back in 2017, the then-president called for NFL owners to cut players taking a knee when the U.S. national anthem played.

“Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when someone disrespects our flag to say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now.’ Out. He’s fired. He’s fired,” thundered Trump to cheers from supporters. 

Trump’s NFL-bashing back then may have contributed to the league’s respective 8% and 10% drops in viewers during the 2016 and 2017 seasons.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Jack Sawyer (33) knocks the ball out of the hands of Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers (3) and returns the fumble for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of the Cotton Bowl Classic during the College Football Playoff semifinal game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on January, 10, 2025.

College Football Is Closer Than Ever to Perfecting the Championship Process

Despite valid criticisms, the first expanded Playoff is working.

With National Title in Sight, Ohio State’s Ryan Day Closes In on..

“It’s what life’s all about,” Day said of the doubters he faced.
Nov 30, 2024; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers wide receiver Kyren Lacy (2) runs after a catch against the Oklahoma Sooners during the first quarter at Tiger Stadium.

LSU Wideout Kyren Lacy Declared for NFL Draft Days After Alleged Hit-and-Run

Louisiana State Police issued an arrest warrant for Lacy on Friday.

Featured Today

Jan 2, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman (R) reacts on the sidelines in the final minute against the Georgia Bulldogs during the fourth quarter at Caesars Superdome.

Amid Realignment Mania, Notre Dame Stayed Independent. It Paid Off

How the CFP semifinal-bound Fighting Irish made their business model work.
Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) celebrates a first-down catch against Oregon during the 2025 Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.
January 3, 2025

The Biggest Changes to College Sports Are Coming in 2025

Sweeping developments could affect the college sports foundation this year.
Dec 31, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (98) walks out to the rink before the Winter Classic against the St. Louis Blues at Wrigley Field
January 1, 2025

Glitzy NHL New Year’s Eve Winter Classic Showcased Connor Bedard’s Star Power

The business of Bedard—on full display—is crucial for the NHL.
Pop-Tarts bowl tropfy
December 27, 2024

‘I Want to Play in That Game’: How the Pop-Tarts Bowl Went..

The bowl has players saying, “I want to play in that game.”
exclusive
January 7, 2025

Taylor Rooks on Amazon NBA Plan: ‘We Really Believe in Going Big’

Rooks predicts Prime’s NBA coverage will attract a younger audience.
January 7, 2025

Marcellus Wiley Considering His Own Lawsuit After Fox Allegations

Wiley left Fox in 2022 after hosting Speak for Yourself for four years.
Sponsored

How UBS Crafts Impactful Partnerships Across Sports, Arts, and Culture

As UBS continues to expand its impressive array of sports and entertainment partnerships, the company solidifies its position as a leader in wealth management.
January 6, 2025

What’s Next for Fox Sports, Skip Bayless, Other Parties Implicated in Lawsuit?

A lawyer for the plaintiff told FOS “our client looks forward to being vindicated.”
Dec 31, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; The Chicago Blackhawks look on after the Winter Classic against the St. Louis Blues at Wrigley Field.
opinion
January 3, 2025

NHL Shouldn’t Panic About Worst-Ever Winter Classic Ratings

The New Year’s Eve matchup drew fewer than one million viewers.
Jun 12, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; NBA TV analyst Charles Barkley talks on set before game three of the 2024 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center.
opinion
January 3, 2025

Charles Barkley Is Right About NBA’s Flawed Product

The “Inside the NBA” cohost told Redick he’s “just a dead man walking.”
opinion
December 24, 2024

7 Sports Media Predictions for 2025, Including Interest in LeBron James

With 2024 drawing to a close, we made predictions about the year ahead.