President Donald Trump picked his three NFL teams to watch for the 2026 season, and he couldn’t help but single out one quarterback by name. Speaking with ESPN’s Laura Rutledge at the 2026 Patriot Games at SPIRE Academy in Geneva, Ohio, Trump named the New England Patriots, New York Giants and Los Angeles Rams when asked which teams he’s got his eye on heading into the year.
“Maybe I’ll pick a few,” Trump said, according to Yahoo Sports. “I think New England looks good. The Giants, I like their quarterback a lot. They say the LA Rams are looking very strong.”
New York Post Sports posted video of the exchange on X, recapping Trump’s picks for its own audience. “President Donald Trump named his top 3 NFL teams this year. The Patriots, Giants and Rams were the ones mentioned.”
"We'll see how it turns out, I'll be watching."
President Donald Trump named his top 3 NFL teams this year. The Patriots, Giants and Rams were the ones mentioned. pic.twitter.com/S6uoK8V5s2
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) August 12, 2026
Trump then pulled back a little, aware of how these things tend to look. “But I better not get into this too much. I’m going to get myself in trouble if I do,” he said. He closed with a broader compliment to the league: “I think you have a lot of good teams, a lot of great teams, and we’ll see how it turns out. I’ll be watching.”
Why These Three Teams
The picks aren’t random. Yahoo Sports notes the Patriots reached Super Bowl LX last season under quarterback Drake Maye, who finished as runner-up for NFL MVP. New England has since added receiver depth, agreeing to a trade with Philadelphia for veteran wideout A.J. Brown and signing Romeo Doubs in free agency, giving Maye more weapons entering his third year.
The Rams enter the year as one of the league’s Super Bowl favorites after falling one win short of the big game last season. Los Angeles made the biggest move of the offseason in June, acquiring two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett from Cleveland in a deal that sent Jared Verse and draft compensation back to the Browns, according to ESPN. It marked the first time since 1997 that a reigning Defensive Player of the Year switched teams the following offseason. The Rams also traded for cornerback Trent McDuffie and signed Jaylen Watson, building around quarterback Matthew Stafford and head coach Sean McVay.
The Giants pick is the one raising eyebrows. New York is coming off a difficult stretch and enters the season under new head coach John Harbaugh, but Trump’s affection for rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart isn’t new. In May, Dart introduced Trump at a political rally in Suffern, New York, leading the crowd in a “Go Big Blue” chant before bringing the president to the stage, according to Fox News. The moment briefly stirred tension in the Giants locker room after teammate Abdul Carter voiced frustration on social media, calling the situation “AI” before the two players said they’d talked it out and were “good.” The team held a meeting to address the fallout, and both players moved forward publicly.
Fan Reaction
The comments made the rounds online, with some fans questioning the Giants inclusion given the team’s recent struggles. Others read Trump’s list as politically savvy more than football-savvy. “You have to hand it to this guy for checking the boxes,” one fan wrote, per Yahoo Sports, pointing to the Patriots nod toward owner Robert Kraft, the Giants nod toward the New York crowd, and the Rams pick as a legitimate football take.
| Team | Key 2026 Offseason Move | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Patriots | Traded for WR A.J. Brown; signed WR Romeo Doubs | Reigning AFC champions, Drake Maye entering Year 3 |
| Giants | Hired HC John Harbaugh; extended GM Joe Schoen | Trump has repeatedly praised QB Jaxson Dart |
| Rams | Traded for DE Myles Garrett; signed CB Jaylen Watson | Lost in NFC title game last season |
A Busy Year of Sports Appearances
Trump’s NFL comments add to a packed year of sports appearances. In June, he attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden as the New York Knicks hosted the San Antonio Spurs, an appearance that came with heavy security measures, including a shutdown of the outside watch party by the NYPD and Secret Service. He was met with boos from the crowd before tip-off, and some Knicks fans blamed his presence for snapping the team’s 13-game winning streak, the only loss New York suffered during that Finals run.
Later that month, Trump hosted a UFC event on the White House South Lawn on June 14, which coincided with his 80th birthday. In July, he attended the FIFA World Cup Final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where he had a viral moment during the trophy ceremony as Spain celebrated its win over Argentina.
