Monday, July 6, 2026

Trump Defends Sanders After Snub: ‘What Is Wrong With NFL Owners?’

The president expressed support for the former Colorado quarterback after he wasn’t drafted in the first round.

Leah Millis-Imagn Images

One of the most surprising snubs of the first round of the NFL Draft has found a new critic in President Donald Trump.

Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social in support of Shedeur Sanders, who went undrafted Thursday night despite drawing interest from several teams. Sanders, the son of NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, played for his father at Colorado, and his Buffaloes teammate Travis Hunter went No. 2 overall to the Jaguars.

“What is wrong with NFL owners, are they STUPID?” Trump posted shortly before the second round began Friday. “Deion Sanders was a great college football player, and was even greater in the NFL. He’s also a very good coach, streetwise and smart! Therefore, Shedeur, his quarterback son, has PHENOMENAL GENES, and is all set for Greatness. He should be ‘picked’ IMMEDIATELY by a team that wants to WIN. Good luck Shedeur, and say hello to your wonderful father!”

Based on the timing of his social media posts, the president either sent the message from the skies or fired it off shortly after he arrived in Italy for the funeral of Pope Francis. He posted about Sanders shortly before sharing two messages that he landed in Italy, along with a video stepping off the plane.

All of these posts came just hours before ESPN began its second- and third-round coverage of the draft. Reports before the draft began suggested it was unclear when Sanders might be picked, and it could be as late as the third round.

While he was still coaching at Jackson State, Deion Sanders wrote a letter to the Trump White House in support of pardoning rapper Lil Wayne. The younger Sanders brother, Shilo, made comments about Trump earlier this year when talking about internet critics. “If you just hate me, or you want to hate me…paint me in a bad picture, they do that to our president, they do that to everybody.”

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up for
The Memo Newsletter

Get the biggest stories and best analysis on the business of sports delivered to your inbox twice every weekday and twice on weekends.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Everything You Need to Know About the Trump-FIFA-Balogun Mess

Balogun will play in the USMNT’s World Cup game Monday night.
Jun 17, 2026; Southampton, New York, USA; Jon Rahm plays his tee shot on hole 15 during a practice round for the U.S. Open golf tournament.

Rahm Headlines 7 LIV Players at PGA Tour’s Scottish Open

The Scottish Open is co-sanctioned with the DP World Tour.
Aksha Bhatia, Max Homa, and Tiger Woods of Jupiter Links before a TGL match against New York Golf Club at SoFi Center on January 13, 2026, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

Versant Buys Woods-Backed Golf Simulator Company for $530M

Full Swing is the predominant technology used by TGL.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

7/6/26 – USMNT vs Belgium Tonight, Balogun Red Card Overturned, Ronaldo and Neymar Bow Out, Kelce Wedding Guest List

0:00

Featured Today

ATLANTA, GA - September 05: Georgia Lottery fireworks after the game against the Seattle Mariners at Truist Park on Friday, September 5, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Inside the Spectacle and Science of MLB Fireworks

Postgame fireworks are lighting up baseball for America250.
Kansas City Chiefs
July 1, 2026

NFL Teams Push to Turn Futbol Fans Into Football Devotees

NFL teams are courting international soccer fans during their World Cup visits.
June 26, 2026

What We Saw Traveling the U.S. for the World Cup Group Stage

The knockout stage begins Sunday.
June 26, 2026

In an Era of $1,000 Tickets, $10 Watch Parties Bring Fans Together

Stadium watch parties now rival home-game experiences.
June 25, 2026

Italian Americans Have Severe World Cup FOMO

Bars and restaurants in Boston, Philly, and beyond are missing the Azzurri.

USMNT’s Balogun to Play After Red-Card Ban Lifted

FIFA suspended Balogun’s ban, clearing the USMNT star for Belgium.
Feb 1, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) drives to the basket against New York Knicks guards Jalen Brunson (11) and Landry Shamet (44) during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
July 3, 2026

Rich Paul: LeBron Would Have Joined Knicks If Not for Title Win

Paul revealed the Knicks have checked in on James’s free agency.
Jun 24, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) dribbles the ball while Phoenix Mercury guard Lexi Held (10) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
July 3, 2026

Caitlin Clark Denounces Hate Following Alyssa Thomas Incident

The public comments marked Clark’s first since the June 24 incident.
Sponsored

Josh Childress: Why Now Is the Time for NBA Expansion

Josh Childress on why he invested in the Portland Thorns, the case for NBA expansion, and donating to Stanford NIL.
Aug 23, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; A general view of the MLB logo before the start of a game between the Cincinnati Reds and Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
July 2, 2026

New MLBPA Proposal Focuses on Roster Management

The latest labor proposal centered on MLB’s roster management rules.
July 1, 2026

Brendan Sorsby Embraces 650-Day Wait for Chance at NFL Roster

The quarterback is a man without a home this fall.
Jan 25, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) talks with Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) and forward Draymond Green (right) after the game at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
July 1, 2026

LeBron Watch 2026: Where Does the NBA’s Biggest Free Agent Fit Best?

James won’t return to the Lakers after eight seasons.
FILE PHOTO: Tennis - WTA Finals - Riyadh - King Saud University Indoor Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - November 8, 2025 Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka in action during her final match against Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina
July 1, 2026

WTA Finals Moves to Indian Wells After Ending Saudi Arabia Deal

The deal between the WTA and Indian Wells is only for one year.