Trump official lobbying NFL to add ex-President to Hall of Fame because he ‘saved football’

Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum wants Theodore Roosevelt in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and he’s already lobbying NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to make it happen.

During an appearance Thursday at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. and broadcasted by C-SPAN, Burgum made a surprising announcement regarding the 26th president.

“I’d say keep it a secret and keep your fingers crossed, but I think we’re going to see Theodore Roosevelt inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame,” Burgum said. “It’ll be happening at the library, but it’s going to be announced on the mall. I’m manifesting it’s going to be announced on the mall when Roger Goodell is there conducting the draft.”

The 2027 NFL Draft is scheduled to be held in Washington, D.C.

Burgum, who joked that he had one of the greatest jobs in the world because everyone needed a permit from him, said he had a chance to meet Goodell when plans were discussed to hold the draft in Washington, D.C. and mentioned the prospect of adding Roosevelt.

Roosevelt was a key figure in making football safer. Roosevelt brought Harvard, Princeton and Yale together at the White House in 1905 to find ways to make the game safer after 18 players were killed and 159 were seriously injured during the 1904 season, according to History.com.

The meeting spurred changes implemented in 1906, including the forward pass and a requirement that teams gain 10 yards for a first down. The reforms also created the neutral zone and banned certain formations deemed dangerous.

“One of the dreams that the library has is because TR (Roosevelt) saved football is that TR would be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame,” Burgum said. “How many people think that would be a good idea?”