Saquon Barkley among NFL stars who will join President Trump's council on Sports Nutrition
Saquon Barkley is a son, a fantastic father, the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year winner, and now a member of President Donald Trump's administration. In a move that will revive a standard from the Reagan, Clinton, and Bush era, Barkley will join Harrison Butker, Nick Bosa, Tony Romo, and Lawrence Taylor on President Trump's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.'
According to the Washington Post, President Trump on Thursday announced that the presidential fitness test, a hallmark of American physical education programs, will be making a comeback in public schools.
The assessment was retired and replaced by a fitness program under the Obama administration.
The presidential fitness test was initiated in the 1950s by a council established by President Dwight D. Eisenhower that was directed to improve the physical fitness of American youths, in response to fears they were falling behind their European counterparts when it came to athleticism.
The project is an alternative way to get anti-obesity drugs to Medicare and Medicaid patients, after the administration said in April that neither program would cover GLP-1s for weight loss. In doing so, it scrapped a 2024 Biden administration proposal for the programs to start covering GLP-1s for patients with obesity.
Several high-profile athletes — all of whom have existing ties to Trump — attended the ceremony and will serve on the President's Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition. The attendees included professional golfer Bryson DeChambeau, who will chair the council; controversial National Football League kicker Harrison Butker; World Wrestling Entertainment mainstay Paul 'Triple H' Levesque; golfer Annika Sorenstam; and football Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor.
The Eagles running back wasn't in attendance, but will be joined by golfers Jack Nicklaus, Nelly Korda, and Gary Player (who was also awarded the Medal of Freedom alongside Sorenstam); Tony Romo, Nick Bosa, and Barkley; legendary hockey player Wayne Gretzky; and baseball player Mariano Rivera.
The list also includes NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, whom Trump repeatedly scrutinized during his first presidential term.
Barkley was criticized during the off-season for spending time with President Trump on a golf outing prior to the Eagles' ring celebration.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
11 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Will the Vikings' season ride on JJ McCarthy?
Yahoo Sports senior NFL writer Frank Schwab and senior NFL reporter Charles Robinson discuss how Minnesota's chances of contending in 2025 will depend on how well their young quarterback fares this season. Hear the full conversation on 'Inside Coverage' - and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen. View more Video Transcript So much of the Vikings' season is riding on how quickly JJ McCarthy plays well. What did you see out of their young quarterback this camp and what amounts to what's going to be his rookie year? Well, I'll tell you what, you know, Justin Jefferson wasn't on the field when I was there, right? He was sitting out, obviously nursing, you know, an injury that he's been going through, and you know, Jordan Addison was the guy that, you know, JJ McCarthy was dialed in on in practice. Now we know that Jordan Addison's going to be suspended the first 3 games of the season. Not perfect in training camp in terms of having your best player out there for McCarthy to continue to work on chemistry with, knowing that you're going to take away a high-level #2 receiver the first 3 games, you know, of your season. So much of this though, just like it was last season with Sam Darnold, so much of this is going to be focused through JJ McCarthy. And I'll say this, like, I think they have not spared throwing a lot at him defensively with Brian Flores. I don't think they've pulled back the dogs in practice, OK? I think they have gone after him, and at times, I think, you know, people have looked at it and said, man, JJ looks like he's struggling a little bit. Man, he's a little bit of a roller coaster right now, in his preseason. We forget, it was at the beginning of his preseason last year, and then he went out in a couple of exhibition games that looked really, really good. And all of a sudden we're like, hmm, when I talked to Kevin O'Connell. He said, look, we're not, we're not trying to give him easy days. We're not trying to throw him softballs out there. We're not worried about his confidence. He's a very confident guy, confident kid. They feel like he's got natural leadership capabilities, and they haven't seen him break in practice. What are the expectations in their building really? Because I look at that team and I say, this roster is loaded, and if JJ McCarthy hits his ceiling and, fairly quickly, he's got to do that right away. I don't see why the Vikings can't be a Super Bowl contender. They really were last year. They went 14 and 3. I look at that roster, I'm like, this is one of the best rosters in the NFL. Am I wrong about that? Like, and how do they feel within the building about their expectations this year? No, I, I think you're, you're absolutely right. It's still one of the best rosters in the NFL, um, particularly, look, if it's healthy, it's clearly one of the best, um, offenses in the NFL from the skill position standpoint, um, but I don't want to say they have tempered expectations. I think they know we have a young quarterback, right? And, and there can be some growing pains as we go through turning JJ McCarthy into what we ultimately believe he can be. Close
USA Today
12 minutes ago
- USA Today
One player to watch at each defensive position in Eagles' preseason opener vs. the Bengals
With kickoff fast approaching, we're looking at one player to watch at each defensive position. The Philadelphia Eagles will face the Cincinnati Bengals in the first preseason game of the summer, where there will be plenty to watch. It's unknown if Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, running back Saquon Barkley, and any of the key starters will play. At the same time, Thursday night offers a debut opportunity for Jihaad Campbell at linebacker. For Cincinnati, head coach Zac Taylor has already confirmed that his starters will play at least a series, and could play into the second quarter. With kickoff fast approaching, we're looking at one player to watch at each defensive position. DB Maxen Hook – Toledo #37 A former teammate of star cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, Hook was a first-team All-MAC selection in 2024, his third straight season earning the honor. He was the third Toledo Rocket to make an All-MAC team in four seasons. Hook could be this year's Reed Blankenship. DB Brandon Johnson – Oregon #35 Named All-Big Ten honorable mention in 2024, Johnson played in 14 games for the Ducks, logging 45 tackles, five pass breakups, and 4.5 tackles for loss. Johnson played three seasons at Duke before transferring to Oregon. DE Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr. Philadelphia drafted All-American pass rusher Antwaun Powell-Ryland in the sixth round, and the former Virginia Tech star will look to show his explosiveness off the edge. DT Gabe Hall A rugged and versatile player at Baylor, a rookie free agent out of Baylor last season (6-6, 295 pounds), was on the practice squad for the entire season. He'll need a decisive training camp, but he can rush the passer and bring athleticism to the defensive tackle position. LB Dallas Gant A rookie free agent signing of the Vikings following the 2024 NFL Draft, Gant (6-2, 224 pounds) was a college teammate of cornerback Quinyon Mitchell at Toledo. CB Tariq Castro-Fields Castro-Fields was drafted in the sixth round of the 2022 draft by the 49ers. After a few months with the team, he was waived. The Commanders then picked him up, and he played in eight games, recording four tackles. Castro-Fields was picked up on waivers by the Panthers to begin the 2024 season, and he played nine snaps on special teams. He will be looking to establish himself as a key player in the Eagles' talented secondary. S Andre Sam Sam spent the season on the Philadelphia Eagles' practice squad. Sam (5-11, 191 pounds) jumped from FCS after starting his career in 2017 at McNeese State, where he was selected First Team All-Southland Conference twice. Sam transferred to Marshall for the 2022 season before spending his final season at LSU. Overall, he played 58 games in college, registering 144 tackles, ten pass defenses, and nine interceptions. Sam has spent the past two off-seasons training with C.J. Gardner-Johnson and could prepare to carve out a key role in year three.
USA Today
12 minutes ago
- USA Today
Severity of Chargers OT Rashawn Slater's injury revealed
Chargers offensive tackle Rashawn Slater has been diagnosed with a ruptured patellar tendon. Slater is now out for the season and will require surgery. Slater will miss the 2025 season and be placed on Injured Reserve. He suffered the injury during Thursday's practice. The devastating injury comes weeks after Slater signed a four-year, $113 million extension that made him the highest-paid offensive lineman in the NFL. The Chargers are likely to now turn to their Trey Pipkins III to fill in as the other starter opposite Joe Alt, who is capable of moving to left tackle. Pipkins, who was the starting right guard in 2024, started at tackle for most of his pro career before the move inside.
