In a stunning move that rippled across the sports world, President Donald Trump granted pardons Thursday to five former NFL players convicted of crimes ranging from perjury to drug trafficking, including Dallas Cowboys legend Nate Newton and Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Klecko.
White House pardon czar Alice Marie Johnson announced the clemency decisions on social media, revealing that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones personally delivered the news to Newton. The pardons also extended to former Baltimore Ravens running back Jamal Lewis, ex-Denver Broncos player Travis Henry, and posthumously to the late Billy Cannon, a Heisman Trophy winner who played for the Houston Oilers, Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs.
“As football reminds us, excellence is built on grit, grace, and the courage to rise again. So is our nation,” Johnson said in her announcement thanking President Trump for his commitment to second chances.
Newton, now 64, spent 13 seasons with Dallas and earned six Pro Bowl selections as a key member of the “Great Wall of Dallas” offensive line that powered the team to three Super Bowl championships in the 1990s. His football career collapsed in 2001 when authorities discovered 175 pounds of marijuana and $10,000 during a traffic stop. He pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking charges in 2002 and served approximately two and a half years in prison.
The two-time All-Pro player expressed his gratitude Friday morning on social media, thanking Jones personally for sharing the news and saying, “May God bless You, Mr. Jones and your Family.”
Since his release from prison, Newton transformed his life, losing nearly half his body weight and becoming involved in community work. The pardon removes a federal conviction that has shadowed the former left guard for more than two decades.
Klecko, a defensive lineman who terrorized quarterbacks during his time with the New York Jets, received his pardon after pleading guilty to perjury in 1993 for lying to a federal grand jury investigating insurance fraud. He served three months in prison. The four-time Pro Bowler earned induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023, cementing his legacy as one of the game’s greats despite his legal troubles.
Lewis, who won the 2003 AP Offensive Player of the Year award while playing for the Baltimore Ravens, pleaded guilty in a drug case involving using a cellphone to set up a cocaine deal. The events occurred shortly after the Ravens drafted him fifth overall in the 2000 NFL draft, though he wasn’t indicted until 2004. He served four months in prison. The one-time Pro Bowler also played for the Cleveland Browns during his career.
Henry, a running back who made a Pro Bowl during stints with three teams including the Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans and Denver Broncos, pleaded guilty in 2009 to conspiracy to traffic cocaine. Prosecutors said he financed a drug ring that moved cocaine between Colorado and Montana. He was sentenced to three years in federal prison.
The posthumous pardon for Cannon carries particular historical weight. The Louisiana State University star won the 1959 Heisman Trophy and delivered one of college football’s most memorable moments with an 89-yard punt return for a touchdown against Ole Miss. He went on to earn two All-Pro selections during an 11-year professional career, spending most of his time in the American Football League with the Houston Oilers and Oakland Raiders before finishing with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Financial troubles later in life led Cannon to counterfeiting in the mid-1980s after bad investments and mounting debts left him broke. He served two and a half years in prison before rebuilding his reputation. Cannon earned a dentistry degree and practiced for years, eventually working at Louisiana State Penitentiary until his death in 2018.
The White House did not provide specific explanations for the timing or selection of these particular players, though President Trump has long expressed his passion for football and regularly attended games during his first term. Johnson, who received a commutation from Trump in 2018 and a full pardon in 2020 for a nonviolent drug offense, has championed criminal justice reform and second chances for those who demonstrate rehabilitation.
The pardons arrive as the NFL offseason kicks into high gear, with teams preparing for free agency and the 2026 draft. For Newton, Klecko, Lewis and Henry, the clemency offers a chance to move forward without the weight of federal convictions. For Cannon’s family, the pardon provides a measure of redemption for a man whose athletic brilliance became overshadowed by his worst decisions.
The Cowboys declined to comment Friday when contacted by local media outlets, but Jones’s personal involvement in notifying Newton signals the organization’s continued support for one of its championship-era stars. Newton remains a beloved figure among Dallas fans who remember his dominance on the offensive line during the team’s glory years.
These five pardons add to a growing list of clemency actions Trump has taken since returning to office in January 2025, with Vice President JD Vance also expressing support for criminal justice reform initiatives. Johnson confirmed she held Newton’s pardon papers in her hands Thursday, calling it “what a blessed day” and emphasizing that mercy changes lives.