NFL: Is Professional Football a Pipeline into Politics?

Could the Trump presidency lead to more athletes getting involved in politics?

For the first time in American history, someone who has never held elected office is going to be President of the United States.

That begs the question: are more celebrities and popular non-political figures going to start running for office?

Former collegiate athletes have already occupied the Presidency. Gerald Ford won two  National Championships as a center and linebacker for the Michigan Wolverines. And, Barack Obama played guard for Occidental College before transferring to Columbia.

Interestingly, the NFL has a pretty established pipeline to political office.

At least ten former NFL players have held public office. Jack Kemp, former Bills quarterback, was a nine-term Congressman from upstate New York and a Vice Presidential nominee in 1996. Former Hall of Fame Seahawks receiver Steve Largent represented Oklahoma’s first district in Congress for four terms and later ran (unsuccessfully) for Governor of the state. Current Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne left coaching and served in Congress from 2001-2007, before returning back to the Cornhuskers. Former Steeler Byron White served as deputy U.S. Attorney General under John F. Kennedy and (later) as an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Recently, Eagles offensive lineman Jon Runyan represented New Jersey in Congress. Former Steelers wide receiver Lynn Swann ran (unsuccessfully) for Governor of Pennsylvania. And Heath Shuler served as a Congressman from the state of North Carolina.

The 2016 election, according to multiple reports, tore locker rooms apart. If NFL players feel so strongly about their political positions, will more of them run for office?

In theory, a professional athlete makes for an interesting political candidate.

First, a former NFL player could self-fund their own campaign. This is really important for a few reasons. Self-funding politicians are not beholden to any interests of their donors. Further, a self-funded campaign means more time can be spent campaigning (and possibly governing) as opposed to fundraising.

Next, NFL players have name recognition. The National Football League is America’s favorite reality T.V. show; it’s viewership and star power is not incomparable to Donald Trump’s years on various NBC shows. Sunday Night Football on NBC, after all, is on the same network that helped to popularize our current President. This is especially true when the player is running in the place they became an NFL legend: as with Jack Kemp in western New York.

Finally, because the NFL is a reality T.V. show, it’s players are accustomed to dealing with the media and giving press conferences. This is important. NFL players are used to walking up to a podium and clearly diagnosing what they think transpired on the field. While lots of political candidates assume they can handle the stress of facing cameras and reporters, few are as exposed to the limelight as are NFL players.

So, who is the next player to run for office? Could Marshawn Lynch have retired prematurely to run for the Presidency in 2020?