Starting in the campaign period for the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump began sparring with the NFL. “Sparring” is used loosely here because the exchange was largely one-sided.
Whether it was criticizing a tax-exempt filing status that hadn’t existed since 2015, national anthem player protests, officiating, television ratings or even league leadership, Trump seemed to take glee in measuring up one body shot after another when it came to the NFL.
He did it on social media. He did it at rallies. He did it on television and in radio interviews.
Almost always, the NFL said nothing.