Former NFL Players Receive Presidential Pardons for Various Crimes

Five former NFL players have been granted clemency by President Donald Trump through pardons. The recipients include Joe Klecko, Nate Newton, Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry, and the late Billy Cannon.

According to White House pardon czar Alice Marie Johnson, the pardons were announced on Friday. Johnson shared a social media post thanking Trump for his “continued commitment to second chances.” Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones reportedly personally informed Newton of the news.

The details of each player’s case are as follows: Klecko pleaded guilty to perjury after lying to a federal grand jury investigating insurance fraud. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023 and had a distinguished career with the New York Jets. Newton pleaded guilty to a federal drug trafficking charge, which involved $10,000 in his pickup truck and 175 pounds of marijuana. He won three Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys.

Lewis pleaded guilty to a drug-related offense after using a cellphone to set up a deal shortly after being drafted by the NFL. He was a running back for the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns. Henry pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic cocaine, which was linked to financing a drug ring operating between Colorado and Montana. Cannon admitted to counterfeiting in the mid-1980s due to financial difficulties.

Cannon also won the 1959 Heisman Trophy while playing for Louisiana State University. The late player died in 2018.

Source: Al Jazeera