Trump Pardons Five Former NFL Players
President Trump granted pardons to Joe Klecko, Nate Newton, Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry and the late Billy Cannon, announced by Alice Marie Johnson on February 13, 2026.
Overview
On February 13, 2026, Alice Marie Johnson announced that President Donald Trump pardoned five former NFL players: Joe Klecko, Nate Newton, Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry and the late Billy Cannon.
The clemencies cover offenses ranging from perjury to federal drug trafficking and counterfeiting, according to the announcement.
Johnson thanked Trump for his "continued commitment to second chances" and said Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones personally informed Nate Newton, according to her social media post.
Cited past penalties include Klecko's three-month 1993 term, Newton's 30-month sentence starting in 2002, Lewis's four-month sentence after a 2004 guilty plea, Henry's three-year 2009 sentence, and Cannon's 2 1/2 years after a 1983 conviction.
Clemency power belongs to the president, and Trump issued 237 acts of clemency in his first term, according to compiled federal records cited in one report.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources use a mild "redemption" frame by foregrounding the White House pardon announcement and Alice Marie Johnson’s praise of second chances, pairing detailed listings of players' crimes with their career honors. Editorial choices privilege sympathetic context and omit critical voices (prosecutors, victims), softening scrutiny of the pardons’ implications.
Sources (16)
FAQ
The pardons cover offenses ranging from perjury to federal drug trafficking and counterfeiting: Klecko (perjury, 3-month term in 1993), Newton (drug trafficking, 30-month sentence in 2002), Lewis (drug charges, 4-month sentence after 2004 plea), Henry (drug trafficking, 3-year sentence in 2009), Cannon (counterfeiting, 2.5 years after 1983 conviction).
Alice Marie Johnson announced the pardons on February 13, 2026, thanking Trump for his 'continued commitment to second chances' and noting that Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones personally informed Nate Newton.
Billy Cannon was a Heisman Trophy winner (1959), LSU national champion (1958), and AFL star with the Houston Oilers, winning two AFL titles and earning All-Pro honors; he was convicted of counterfeiting in the 1980s and died in 2018.
Trump issued 237 acts of clemency during his first term, according to compiled federal records.
History
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