Donald Trump: 'Football Has Become Soft'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump is going after football, now.
Trump, speaking during a rally in Reno, Nevada on Sunday, somehow went from Iraq to the NFL, calling football "soft" like our country.
"It's boring. Although I love [New England Patriots quarterback] Tom Brady, I gotta tell you -- I do love Tom -- he's a great guy," Trump said via the Washington Post. "But it's different. But it's become soft and our country has become soft."
Likely referring to a controversial hit by Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict in Saturday night's NFC Wildcard game, Trump criticized the new NFL.
"It's a Sunday, who the hell wants to watch these crummy games?" Trump said. "I just want to watch the end. By the way — okay, let me go there for a second. Let me end that story. So we gave them Iraq, we're stupid. We're stupid. I'll change things. Believe me, I'll change things. And again, we're going to be so respected. I don't want to use the word 'feared.' What I just said about a game — so I'm watching a game yesterday. What used to be considered a great tackle, a violent head-on [tackle], a violent — if that was done by Dick Butkus, they'd say he's the greatest player. If that were done by Lawrence Taylor — it was done by Lawrence Taylor and Dick Butkus and Ray Nitschke, right? Ray Nitschke — you used to see these tackles and it was incredible to watch, right?
"Now they tackle. 'Oh, head-on-head collision, 15 yards.' The whole game is all screwed up. You say, 'Wow, what a tackle.' Bing. Flag. Football has become soft. Football has become soft. Now, I'll be criticized for that. They'll say, 'Oh, isn't that terrible.' But football has become soft like our country has become soft. [Applause] It's true. It's true. The outcome of games has been changed by what used to be phenomenal, phenomenal stuff. Now these are rough guys, these are rough guys. These guys — what they're doing is incredible, but I looked at it and I watched yesterday in particular. So many flags, right? So many flags. And I could imagine a guy like Lawrence Taylor and Dick Butkus, who was really rough, and some of these guys sitting there watching. 'Wow, what a beautiful tackle.' 'Fifteen yards! That's — the game is over.' You can't kick a field goal any more."
Angelo Cataldi and former Pro Bowl Philadelphia Eagles' offensive lineman and congressman Jon Runyan discussed Trump's comments on Monday's 94WIP Morning Show.
"Jon [Runyan], I don't understand how that's supposed to help him because we all love football and he attacked what we love," Cataldi asked.
"The crazier things that come out of his mouth," Runyan replied, "the more people pay attention to him. That's all he wants."
"So that's good?" Cataldi asked. "That's all he wants? He doesn't even believe what he said?"
Trump's comments come on the heels of the contentious film, Concussion, which explains the uncovering of the degenerative brain disease called Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) and its effect on football players.
"It's become weak and you know what?" Trump said. "It's going to affect the NFL. I don't even watch it as much anymore. It's going to affect the NFL. I don't watch it. The referees, they want to all throw flags so their wives see them at home. 'Oh, there's my husband.' [Laughter] It's true. 'He just broke up — he just gave a 15-yard penalty on one of the most beautiful tackles made this year.' Right?"