Sports
Terry Pegula - English
Tom Brady - English
In an alternate universe, Donald Trump might be best known not as a former president, but as the man who once owned the New England Patriots.
Back in 1988, Trump came surprisingly close to buying the franchise during a time of financial chaos for its then-owners, the Sullivan family.
Their gamble on a failed $22 million investment in a Jacksons concert tour had backfired, leaving the Patriots drowning in debt.
Fitness Masterclass: Video Shows the Ultimate Six-Pack Routine Step by Step
With ownership scrambling for a lifeline, Trump stepped in and secured exclusive negotiating rights to purchase the team.
He even promised to keep the team rooted in New England-a reassurance for local fans and league executives alike.
But despite how serious the talks were, the deal never materialized. Not because of money, but because of something far more personal: the NFL didn’t want Trump.
The USFL, Bad Blood, and the League’s Rejection
To understand why Trump‘s Patriots deal fell apart, you have to look back a few years earlier-specifically to his involvement in the USFL.
In 1983, Trump bought the New Jersey Generals of the fledgling league and immediately made waves, throwing massive contracts at college stars like Doug Flutie and pushing for a fall schedule that directly competed with the NFL.
His ambition to force a merger or legal victory against the NFL led to the USFL‘s demise. The league technically won its antitrust case against the NFL in 1986, but the symbolic $3 awarded in damages underscored the failure.
Most NFL owners blamed Trump for the collapse, and by 1988, those wounds hadn’t healed.
So when Trump tried to enter their world again by purchasing the Patriots, the owners weren’t interested.
Reports from outlets like Boston.com revealed that many league executives simply “loathed” him.
Despite having two weeks of exclusive negotiating rights, Trump never submitted a formal offer-likely because he saw the writing on the wall. Without the required approval from existing owners, no purchase would ever go through.
Only a handful of voices supported Trump‘s NFL ambitions. Notably, former Browns owner Art Modell backed him.
But that wasn’t nearly enough. The Patriots were eventually sold to Victor Kiam for $84 million. Just six years later, Robert Kraft would take over and build a dynasty that won six Super Bowls.
This wasn’t Trump‘s only brush with NFL ownership. He tried again in 2014, attempting to buy the Buffalo Bills but lost out to Terry and Kim Pegula.
He also once passed on buying the Dallas Cowboys in the 1980s, dismissing them as a “sure money loser”-a statement that now reads like a historic miscalculation.
It’s hard not to wonder what could’ve been. What if Trump had owned the Patriots before Kraft? Could he have hired Bill Belichick? Drafted Tom Brady? Celebrated championships from the owner’s box? We’ll never know.
But in the long history of “almosts” in sports, Donald Trump owning the Patriots might be one of the wildest what-ifs the NFL has ever seen.
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
Mariners’ Julio Rodriguez Comes Up Clutch to Even ALDS Series Against Tigers
Julio Rodriguez hit a tiebreaking RBI double in the eighth inning and the Seattle Mariners beat the Detroit Tigers 3-2 in Game 2 of their AL Division Series on Sunday to even the series.With the game knotted at 2-2 and one out in the bottom of the eighth inning, AL MVP candidate Cal Raleigh doubled with one out. Shortly after, Rodríguez doubled home Raleigh to put the Mariners in front for good.Closer Andres Munoz retired the Tigers in order for the save one night after throwing two innings in a 3-2 loss in 11 innings.Jorge Polanco homered twice for Seattle.After going scoreless against Seattle starter Luis Castillo and three Mariners relievers, the Tigers tied the game against Matt Brash in the top of the eighth.Gleyber Torres worked a leadoff walk, and Riley Greene reached on a fielder’s choice that was […]
India Crush Pakistan by 88 Runs, Extend Unbeaten World Cup Streak to 12-0
View Comments Colombo: It was another chapter in India’s unbroken dominance over Pakistan on the World Cup stage. Under grey Colombo skies and on a tricky surface, India once again proved why they remain a formidable force in women’s cricket, defeating Pakistan by a commanding margin of 88 runs at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025. The win not only maintained India’s perfect 12-0 World Cup record against their arch-rivals but also marked their second straight victory in this year’s tournament. Pakistan, on the other hand, were left reeling with their second consecutive defeat, unable to recover from India’s disciplined and ruthless bowling display that saw them bowled out for just 159 while chasing a target of 248. After being put in to bat first by Pakistan captain Fatima Sana, India managed a modest but competitive 247. The total, […]
Men’s Uttarakhand Premier League 2025: Haridwar Elmas Crowned UPL 2025 Champions
View Comments Dehradun: Haridwar Elmas clinched the Uttarakhand Premier League 2025 title in dramatic fashion, chasing down 149 runs with four balls to spare in a thrilling grand finale at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Dehradun on Sunday. After winning the toss, Haridwar Elmas elected to bowl first, and their decision proved good as they restricted Nainital Tigers to 148/6. The Nainital innings began disastrously when Prashant Bhati dismissed both openers Dhruv Pratap Singh (12 off 6) and Aarav Mahajan (2 off 6) inside four overs. In at No.3, Rahul Raj Namala injected momentum into the Tigers' innings with an entertaining 29 off 20, striking two boundaries and three sixes. Captain Bhupen Lalwani attempted to anchor the innings with a measured 35 from 42 deliveries before retiring out in the nineteenth over. The cornerstone of Nainital's total was an […]
PKL: Bharat’s Super 10, Shubham’s High Five powers Telugu Titans to fourth consecutive win
View Comments Chennai: Telugu Titans had to dig deep to cling onto a 40-35 win against the UP Yoddhas at the SDAT Multi Purpose Indoor Stadium in Chennai on Sunday night. This was Titan’s fourth win on the trot, led by Bharat Hooda’s Super 10, Shubham Shinde’s High Five, while including contributions from Vijay Malik’s nine points and Praful Zaware’s crucial four-point cameo. Bharat Hooda recorded 100 raid points in PKL 12, while also amassing 700 points in the league. Meanwhile, his captain, Vijay Malik also completed 100 raid points this season. For UP Yoddhas, Bhavani Rajput recorded his career best performance, scoring a Super 10 with 16 points, while Guman Singh chipped in with 8 points. Both teams began this contest as they meant business, wasting no time to set the tone for an aggressive game. Vijay Malik opened […]
Takeaways from Commanders’ Runaway Week 5 Win Over Chargers
<!--> [--> Eric Williams NFL Reporter <!--> --> INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Dan Quinn believes his team is finally headed in the right direction.After scuffling through a 2-2 start to the season that included losing his brilliant starting quarterback Jayden Daniels to a sprained knee for two games, the Washington Commanders finally looked like the team that advanced to the NFC Championship game in the LSU product’s first game back from injury – and his first time playing in Southern California as a pro."It means a lot," Daniels said about playing back home. "I’ve dreamt of moments like this to play in front of my family in my hometown. Whether that was here or wherever else I was blessed enough to get drafted to."1. Jacory Croskey-Merritt’s big day While Daniels was the headliner, rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt announced his presence to the rest […]
2025 NFL Odds Week 6: Lines, Spreads for all 15 Games
NFL Week 6 kicks off Thursday night, as the Giants host the Eagles.Here are the lines for every Week 6 matchup at DraftKings Sportsbook as of Oct. 5.(All times ET)2025 NFL Week 6 OddsTHURSDAY, OCT. 9EAGLES @ GIANTSSpread: Eagles -7Moneyline: Eagles -360, Giants +285Over/Under: 42.5SUNDAY, OCT. 12BRONCOS @ JETSSpread: Broncos -7.5Moneyline: Broncos -380, Jets +300Over/Under: 44.5COWBOYS @ PANTHERSSpread: Cowboys -3.5Moneyline: Cowboys -192, Panthers +160Over/Under: 48.5CHARGERS @ DOLPHINSSpread: Chargers -5.5Moneyline: Chargers -250, Dolphins +205Over/Under: 45.5BROWNS @ STEELERSSpread: Steelers -4.5Moneyline: Steelers -230, Browns +190Over/Under: 37.5CARDINALS @ COLTSSpread: Colts -5.5Moneyline: Colts -238, Cardinals +195Over/Under: 47.5RAMS @ RAVENSSpread: Rams -7Moneyline: Rams -345, Ravens +275Over/Under: 46.5SEAHAWKS @ JAGUARSSpread: Jaguars -1.5Moneyline: Jaguars -120, Seahawks +100Over/Under: 45.549ERS @ BUCCANEERSSpread: Buccaneers -3Moneyline: Buccaneers -170, 49ers +142Over/Under: 47.5TITANS @ RAIDERSSpread: Raiders -5.5Moneyline: Raiders -270, Titans +220Over/Under: 41.5BENGALS @ PACKERSSpread: Packers -14.5Moneyline: Packers -1350, Bengals +800Over/Under: 44.5PATRIOTS @ SAINTSSpread: TBDMoneyline: […]
Related
Mariners’ Julio Rodriguez Comes Up Clutch to Even ALDS Series Against Tigers
Julio Rodriguez hit a tiebreaking RBI double in the eighth inning and the Seattle Mariners beat the Detroit Tigers 3-2 in Game 2 of their AL Division Series on Sunday to even the series.With the game knotted at 2-2 and one out in the bottom of the eighth inning, AL MVP candidate Cal Raleigh doubled with one out. Shortly after, Rodríguez doubled home Raleigh to put the Mariners in front for good.Closer Andres Munoz retired the Tigers in order for the save one night after throwing two innings in a 3-2 loss in 11 innings.Jorge Polanco homered twice for Seattle.After going scoreless against Seattle starter Luis Castillo and three Mariners relievers, the Tigers tied the game against Matt Brash in the top of the eighth.Gleyber Torres worked a leadoff walk, and Riley Greene reached on a fielder’s choice that was […]
India Crush Pakistan by 88 Runs, Extend Unbeaten World Cup Streak to 12-0
View Comments Colombo: It was another chapter in India’s unbroken dominance over Pakistan on the World Cup stage. Under grey Colombo skies and on a tricky surface, India once again proved why they remain a formidable force in women’s cricket, defeating Pakistan by a commanding margin of 88 runs at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025. The win not only maintained India’s perfect 12-0 World Cup record against their arch-rivals but also marked their second straight victory in this year’s tournament. Pakistan, on the other hand, were left reeling with their second consecutive defeat, unable to recover from India’s disciplined and ruthless bowling display that saw them bowled out for just 159 while chasing a target of 248. After being put in to bat first by Pakistan captain Fatima Sana, India managed a modest but competitive 247. The total, […]
Men’s Uttarakhand Premier League 2025: Haridwar Elmas Crowned UPL 2025 Champions
View Comments Dehradun: Haridwar Elmas clinched the Uttarakhand Premier League 2025 title in dramatic fashion, chasing down 149 runs with four balls to spare in a thrilling grand finale at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Dehradun on Sunday. After winning the toss, Haridwar Elmas elected to bowl first, and their decision proved good as they restricted Nainital Tigers to 148/6. The Nainital innings began disastrously when Prashant Bhati dismissed both openers Dhruv Pratap Singh (12 off 6) and Aarav Mahajan (2 off 6) inside four overs. In at No.3, Rahul Raj Namala injected momentum into the Tigers' innings with an entertaining 29 off 20, striking two boundaries and three sixes. Captain Bhupen Lalwani attempted to anchor the innings with a measured 35 from 42 deliveries before retiring out in the nineteenth over. The cornerstone of Nainital's total was an […]
PKL: Bharat’s Super 10, Shubham’s High Five powers Telugu Titans to fourth consecutive win
View Comments Chennai: Telugu Titans had to dig deep to cling onto a 40-35 win against the UP Yoddhas at the SDAT Multi Purpose Indoor Stadium in Chennai on Sunday night. This was Titan’s fourth win on the trot, led by Bharat Hooda’s Super 10, Shubham Shinde’s High Five, while including contributions from Vijay Malik’s nine points and Praful Zaware’s crucial four-point cameo. Bharat Hooda recorded 100 raid points in PKL 12, while also amassing 700 points in the league. Meanwhile, his captain, Vijay Malik also completed 100 raid points this season. For UP Yoddhas, Bhavani Rajput recorded his career best performance, scoring a Super 10 with 16 points, while Guman Singh chipped in with 8 points. Both teams began this contest as they meant business, wasting no time to set the tone for an aggressive game. Vijay Malik opened […]
Takeaways from Commanders’ Runaway Week 5 Win Over Chargers
<!--> [--> Eric Williams NFL Reporter <!--> --> INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Dan Quinn believes his team is finally headed in the right direction.After scuffling through a 2-2 start to the season that included losing his brilliant starting quarterback Jayden Daniels to a sprained knee for two games, the Washington Commanders finally looked like the team that advanced to the NFC Championship game in the LSU product’s first game back from injury – and his first time playing in Southern California as a pro."It means a lot," Daniels said about playing back home. "I’ve dreamt of moments like this to play in front of my family in my hometown. Whether that was here or wherever else I was blessed enough to get drafted to."1. Jacory Croskey-Merritt’s big day While Daniels was the headliner, rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt announced his presence to the rest […]
2025 NFL Odds Week 6: Lines, Spreads for all 15 Games
NFL Week 6 kicks off Thursday night, as the Giants host the Eagles.Here are the lines for every Week 6 matchup at DraftKings Sportsbook as of Oct. 5.(All times ET)2025 NFL Week 6 OddsTHURSDAY, OCT. 9EAGLES @ GIANTSSpread: Eagles -7Moneyline: Eagles -360, Giants +285Over/Under: 42.5SUNDAY, OCT. 12BRONCOS @ JETSSpread: Broncos -7.5Moneyline: Broncos -380, Jets +300Over/Under: 44.5COWBOYS @ PANTHERSSpread: Cowboys -3.5Moneyline: Cowboys -192, Panthers +160Over/Under: 48.5CHARGERS @ DOLPHINSSpread: Chargers -5.5Moneyline: Chargers -250, Dolphins +205Over/Under: 45.5BROWNS @ STEELERSSpread: Steelers -4.5Moneyline: Steelers -230, Browns +190Over/Under: 37.5CARDINALS @ COLTSSpread: Colts -5.5Moneyline: Colts -238, Cardinals +195Over/Under: 47.5RAMS @ RAVENSSpread: Rams -7Moneyline: Rams -345, Ravens +275Over/Under: 46.5SEAHAWKS @ JAGUARSSpread: Jaguars -1.5Moneyline: Jaguars -120, Seahawks +100Over/Under: 45.549ERS @ BUCCANEERSSpread: Buccaneers -3Moneyline: Buccaneers -170, 49ers +142Over/Under: 47.5TITANS @ RAIDERSSpread: Raiders -5.5Moneyline: Raiders -270, Titans +220Over/Under: 41.5BENGALS @ PACKERSSpread: Packers -14.5Moneyline: Packers -1350, Bengals +800Over/Under: 44.5PATRIOTS @ SAINTSSpread: TBDMoneyline: […]
Be the first to leave a comment