Trump Calls Football 'Boring as Hell' at Iowa Rally

The president criticized the NFL's dynamic kickoff rule and said he starts games late to avoid it.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Football

Trump Calls Football 'Boring as Hell' at Iowa Rally

Live Poll

Do you watch NFL games, and do you still watch the kickoffs?

At a campaign rally in Iowa on Sunday supporting Senate candidate Ashley Hinson, President Trump called football "boring as hell." He said he starts NFL games about two minutes late to avoid watching kickoffs.

Why it matters

The remarks target the NFL's dynamic kickoff format, introduced ahead of the 2024 season and later made permanent, which requires kicking-team players to line up closer to the receiving team. The comments come two days before midterm elections, linking a sports critique to the political campaign.

Trump says he starts NFL games about 2 minutes into the broadcast to avoid watching kickoffs, and the dynamic kickoff format was introduced in the 2024 season. The source does not indicate any league response to the criticism.

The players

Donald Trump

Donald Trump is the current President of the United States, a former television personality and real estate developer who has frequently commented on professional sports.

Ashley Hinson

Ashley Hinson is a Republican Senate candidate from Iowa whom Trump was campaigning for at the rally.

National Football League (NFL)

The NFL is the professional American football league that introduced the dynamic kickoff format and made it permanent.

The details

Trump made the comments on Sunday at a rally in Iowa for Senate candidate Ashley Hinson. He also called the NFL's kickoff change the "beginning of the end" for the league in September 2024, arguing against the format.

September 2024: Trump called the NFL kickoff change the "beginning of the end" for the league.
2024 season: The NFL introduced the dynamic kickoff format.
Sunday, November 1, 2026: Trump made the remarks at the Iowa rally.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026: Midterm elections take place.

The Big Picture

The NFL made the dynamic kickoff permanent after introducing it in 2024 to reduce injuries and encourage more returns. Trump's criticism now places a sitting president in the public debate over that rule change.

Viewers who watch NFL broadcasts will see the dynamic kickoff format play out in games, and the rule is now part of the league's permanent rules. The source does not say whether the rule will change in response to the criticism.

The takeaway

Presidential commentary on sports rules can draw attention to league policy debates, but the rules themselves are set by the NFL. Readers following the issue can track how the league responds to criticism of its kickoff format.