Donald Trump might have made history with his appearance at Super Bowl LIX last weekend but it certainly didn’t pull the wool over Michael Strahan’s eyes.
There was much anticipation for the 78-year-old’s attendance at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Sunday as he became the first sitting president of the United States to attend the NFL’s season finale, taking his seat alongside daughter Ivanka as the Philadelphia Eagles pulled off a shock victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
The decision to attend was widely praised by Trump’s army of supporters, yet there were fears it could overshadow the sheer scale of the event being played out on the field, especially given his recent inauguration in which he returned to office as the 47th president.
For Strahan, though, this wasn’t the case. When asked if he was worried about Trump’s presence at the Super Bowl, he said: “Nah, nah. Come on. It’s the biggest sporting event in the world. It’s not going to overshadow the game. If he jumps out on the field and streaks, or he decides to put on some pads, then it might overshadow the game.
“But no, this is about Sunday and the NFL. The people have waited all year for this. It’s the biggest event of the year, and there’s a reason people travel from all over to attend with all the media attention, so no.”
In the end, Trump ended up securing an early exit from the event, sneaking out before the end of the third quarter with the result already effectively tied up. This was apparently always part of the plan, with a copy of his schedule provided by a White House spokesperson showing he was due to leave at 8:05pm, the Independent reported.
(Image: Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Nonetheless, Strahan’s comments largely rang true, with the majority of the attention on the night directed towards the players on the field. While Trump expectedly received plenty of limelight in the build-up to the game, the focus soon switched once the coin toss was made.
If anything, Trump received more attention after the game. Before news had broke of his early departure, he was posting on his social media platform Truth Social about ordering the U.S Treasury to print new pennies, before directing jabs towards Kamala Harris-endorser and pop icon Taylor Swift.
Why Donald Trump attended the Super Bowl
Along with ensuring he became the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl, Trump also cited the game as being an annual opportunity to transcend differences as a reason behind his attendance.
However, in an interview with Fox News that aired hours before kick-off at the Superdome in New Orleans, the president added: “I thought it would be a good thing for the country to have the president be at the game.”
There were even some suggestions to say Trump was there in support of the Chiefs, who were targeting a historic Super Bowl ‘three-peat’ with victory. When asked who he thinks will win the showpiece event ahead of the game, the president picked the Chiefs because of quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
“I guess you have to say that when a quarterback wins as much as he’s won, I have to go with Kansas City,” the president said. “I have to go with Kansas City. At the same time, Philadelphia has a fantastic — it’s going to be just a great game.”
- Source: NEWHD MEDIA
