Donald Trump stunned NFL fans on Sunday with a dramatic Air Force One flyover at Northwest Stadium near DC before attending the Detroit Lions vs Washington Commanders matchup. The former president even joined Kenny Albert and Jonathan Vilma in the Fox broadcast booth for the third quarter – a first for a sitting or former president in decades!
Trump’s arrival marked the first time a sitting president attended a regular-season NFL game since 1978, and he made sure it was unforgettable. Fans near his suite had mixed reactions, with some booing as he took the spotlight during the NFL’s “Salute to Service” day ahead of Veterans Day. During halftime, he swore in military members and addressed the crowd, though he appeared surprised by the feisty reaction from parts of the 67,000-seat stadium.
Stepping off Air Force One, Trump declared: “Was that the greatest flyover ever? Nobody’s ever done a flyover like that! They say whoever flies Air Force One, they’re the best pilots. And we just saw that.”
On the field, the Lions dominated early, taking a 25-10 lead at halftime while the Commanders were without star QB Jayden Daniels. Trump weighed in from the booth: “The backup quarterback (Marcus Mariota) is a good quarterback… the first string has potential, he’s got to stop the injuries somehow.” He also shared anecdotes from his own football days at the military academy, joking about never scoring a touchdown.
Discussing sports more broadly, Trump said: “It’s a microcosm of life… the good, the bad, and the ugly. You have to push through problems to hit the triumphs. You can never quit, you can never give up.”
Fans online were equally impressed by the epic flyover, calling it “a perfect tribute to the brave folks serving our country” and “a reminder of true leadership.” Trump watched the game alongside Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Speaker Mike Johnson, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and Secretary of Education Linda McMahon.
And just hours before his NFL appearance, reports emerged that Trump wants the Commanders’ new $3.7 billion stadium named after him. The stadium, set to replace RFK Stadium, will return the team to DC and potentially carry Trump’s name, according to his press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Extra security measures were in place at Northwest Stadium, with Secret Service, military, and police presence, and more fences than usual. Only Richard Nixon (1969) and Jimmy Carter (1978) previously attended a regular-season NFL game as sitting presidents. Trump also became the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl while in office in February.
This appearance continues Trump’s series of high-profile sports events, from the Ryder Cup to Daytona 500 and the US Open, as he celebrates veterans and active-duty military through the NFL’s Salute to Service initiative.
Of course, Trump’s relationship with the NFL has been rocky in the past over kneeling protests during the national anthem, but Sunday’s visit brought a patriotic and larger-than-life spectacle to the stadium – complete with touchdowns, commentary, and a flyover that fans won’t soon forget.
