President Donald Trump offered his thoughts on the upcoming NFL season during an Aug. 11 interview with ESPN’s Laura Rutledge at the Patriot Games finale in Geneva, Ohio. As for which NFL teams he was keeping an eye on, Trump named the New England Patriots, New York Giants, and Los Angeles Rams. He said New England looked good, praised the Giants’ quarterback, and noted that the Rams were considered very strong.
Trump did not explicitly call the three teams his Super Bowl LXI favorites, but his selections quickly prompted online jokes about the so-called “Trump curse.” The superstition has gained attention after several teams Trump supported or watched in person went on to lose high-profile games.
Trump names 3 NFL teams to watch
Trump discussed the NFL during an interview with ESPN’s Laura Rutledge at the Aug. 11 Patriot Games finale. He said New England looked good, named the Giants, said he liked their quarterback, and added that the Rams were considered very strong.
The inaugural Patriot Games brought together 120 athletes ages 14 to 17. One male and one female athlete represented each of the 50 states, while additional competitors represented U.S. territories, tribal nations, and military communities. One male champion and one female champion each earned a $125,000 scholarship.
Trump joked that he could get himself into trouble by discussing his NFL choices. He then said there were many good and great teams and that he would be watching how the season turned out.
What is the so-called Trump curse?
The “Trump curse” is a tongue-in-cheek sports superstition suggesting that teams Trump supports, intervenes on behalf of, or watches in person are unusually prone to losing. The idea has picked up steam over the past two years after several notable defeats.
The joke gained attention in 2026 after several high-profile events involving Trump. He attended an NBA Finals game where the Knicks’ winning streak ended, watched Indiana win the college football championship, and became involved in the U.S. World Cup red-card controversy before the Americans lost 4-1 to Belgium.
The pattern is a fan-created superstition rather than evidence that Trump’s presence or support affects sporting outcomes. It has nevertheless become a recurring online joke, including in reactions to his new selections for the Patriots, Giants, and Rams.
Patriots remain contenders after Super Bowl run
New England reached Super Bowl LX after finishing the 2025 regular season 14-3, but lost 29-13 to the Seattle Seahawks. The Patriots return quarterback Drake Maye and several major contributors while also adding star receiver A.J. Brown in an offseason trade.
The Patriots are viewed as playoff contenders entering 2026, although they are not the Super Bowl betting favorite. ESPN currently lists New England at +1600 to win Super Bowl LXI, well behind the Rams at +550 but still among the stronger odds in the league.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft has known Trump for decades and has described him as a longtime social friend, although Kraft has also publicly disagreed with Trump on some issues. The relationship provides background to Trump’s New England selection but does not establish why he picked the team.
Giants pick stands out as Trump’s biggest long shot
Trump’s Giants selection is considerably more surprising than his Rams or Patriots picks. New York finished 4-13 in 2025, and ESPN currently lists the Giants at +7000 to win Super Bowl LXI.
Trump explicitly linked his interest in the Giants to quarterback Jaxson Dart, saying he liked their quarterback “a lot.” Trump has praised Dart previously, and Dart introduced the president at a May 22 political rally in New York.
Dart later told reporters that his appearance was not intended as a political statement, and he addressed Giants teammates after the event caused disagreement within the locker room. Trump’s admiration for Dart is documented, but it would be speculative to say Dart’s political views caused Trump to pick the Giants.
Rams add firepower after close call
The Rams came within one win of reaching Super Bowl LX, falling 31-27 to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game. Their deep postseason run and strong 2026 outlook have kept Los Angeles firmly in the championship conversation.
Los Angeles added star edge rusher Myles Garrett in an offseason trade with Cleveland. Garrett arrived as the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year after setting the league’s single-season sack record in 2025, giving the Rams another elite pass-rushing threat.
Reaction to the price of the Garrett trade has been mixed. CBS Sports gave the Rams an A for the deal, while ESPN graded Los Angeles’ side a C-. The disagreement centers largely on how much future value the Rams surrendered in pursuit of an immediate championship push.
Fun fact: New England’s appearance in Super Bowl LX was the franchise’s NFL-record 12th Super Bowl trip.
Past events tied to the curse theory
At Super Bowl LIX in February 2025, Trump became the first sitting U.S. president to attend the game. He predicted Kansas City would defeat Philadelphia, but the Eagles instead beat the Chiefs 40-22.
The joke gained more examples during Trump’s second term. He attended the January 2026 College Football Playoff championship, where Indiana defeated Miami, and watched Game 3 of the NBA Finals as the Knicks’ 13-game winning streak ended with a 115-111 loss to San Antonio.
During the World Cup, Trump backed Argentina before Spain defeated the defending champions 1-0 in the final. Earlier in the tournament, Trump asked FIFA to review Folarin Balogun’s red-card suspension; FIFA suspended the ban, Balogun played, and the U.S. team subsequently lost 4-1 to Belgium.
NFL fans joke that Trump cursed all 3 teams
Trump’s selections generated immediate online jokes about the so-called Trump curse. Some users said he had jinxed the Patriots, Giants, and Rams at the same time, while others warned fans of the three teams about the president’s recent record of backing eventual losers.
The Giants drew particular attention because they are a much longer shot at the Super Bowl than the other two teams. Current betting odds place Los Angeles at +550, New England at +1600, and New York at +7000.
The “Trump curse” is mainly internet humor, not a serious prediction. Fans revived the joke after the U.S. World Cup exit, the Knicks’ NBA Finals loss, and Argentina’s defeat.
The picks range from favorite to long shot
There is no evidence that a president’s prediction or attendance affects the outcome of an NFL season. The “Trump curse” is a fan-created sports superstition based on selected coincidences, not a proven causal effect.
Trump’s 3 selections occupy very different positions entering 2026. As of Aug. 15, the Rams are the Super Bowl LXI betting favorite at +550, the Patriots are +1600 after reaching Super Bowl LX, and the Giants are +7000 after finishing 4-13 in 2025.
That range gives fans plenty to revisit once the regular season begins. The Rams and Patriots have recent postseason success behind them, while the Giants’ outlook depends in part on further development from second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart.
Little-known fact: Garrison Hearst graced the international cover of “Madden NFL 99” before a severe ankle injury sidelined him for 2 seasons.
TL;DR
- Trump named the Patriots, Giants, and Rams as NFL teams he is watching entering the 2026 season; he did not explicitly call all 3 his Super Bowl LXI favorites.
- Fans quickly joked that he had cursed all 3 franchises.
- The “Trump curse” is a fan-created sports superstition tied to high-profile losses involving teams Trump has backed or watched.
- The Rams are the current Super Bowl LXI betting favorite, while the Patriots also enter 2026 as a contender and the Giants remain a much longer shot.
- Trump specifically praised Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart, saying he liked him “a lot.”
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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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