Potential Induction of Teddy Roosevelt into Pro Football Hall of Fame
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum recently asserted that President Teddy Roosevelt will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame next year, highlighting Roosevelt’s pivotal role in saving football from near extinction over a century ago.
Burgum shared these thoughts at a Bank of America reception on Thursday, which was organized to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.
Officials from the Trump administration mentioned that a formal announcement is anticipated in the spring, coinciding with the NFL Draft in the nation’s capital.
During his remarks, Burgum, who was speaking alongside Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan, recalled a meeting with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in the Oval Office. “The National Park Service manages the National Mall, and with the NFL Draft set to take place there a year from now, I think it’s going to be a significant backdrop,” he noted.
Burgum, a supporter of Roosevelt—the 1906 Nobel Peace Prize winner—teased, “Keep it a secret. But I think you’re going to see Theodore Roosevelt inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame… The announcement will happen on the Mall when Roger Goodell conducts the draft.”
An NFL spokesperson did not respond to inquiries regarding this claim.
If this induction is confirmed, Roosevelt would be the first president to receive this honor. While Gerald Ford, who served as the 37th president, was the MVP for the University of Michigan in 1934, he declined coaching opportunities with the Lions and Packers. Ford never entered the Hall of Fame, but he did attend induction ceremonies in 1974 and 1976 while he was president.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame resides in Canton, Ohio, the birthplace of the National Football League in 1920, and pays tribute to the sport’s most remarkable players, coaches, and influencers.
Established in 1963, the Hall now spans 118,000 square feet, honoring over 370 inductees with bronze busts, artifacts, and interactive displays. Each summer, a new class is selected by a 50-person committee comprised of media voters and current Hall of Famers, who are then officially inducted during a ceremony preceding the annual Hall of Fame Game that kicks off the preseason.
While most honorees are players and coaches, the Hall also acknowledges executives, owners, and other influential figures who have contributed to the sport’s evolution. Induction into the Hall of Fame is regarded as the pinnacle of achievement in professional football, requiring at least 80 percent of votes and typically involves a five-year waiting period following a candidate’s retirement.
