At the end of a Sunday Night Football game on Oct. 27, San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Nick Bosa crashed a live shot of teammates George Kittle, Brock Purdy and Isaac Guerendo on NBC while sporting a “Make America Great Again” cap.
The moment sparked reactions from viewers across the country, reigniting conversations about the intersection of sports and politics.
However, Bosa isn’t the only athlete who has made his political views known this election season. Below is a list of other notable athletes who have expressed their political opinions before election day.
Harrison Butker | Kansas City Chiefs kicker
If Harrison Butker’s name seems familiar, it’s because Butker made headlines in May after giving a commencement speech to graduates at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas.
Now that election season is in full swing, the three-time Super Bowl champion has not shied away from making his voice heard.
During the Kansas City Chiefs bye week during week six of the NFL season, Butker joined Republican Sen. Josh Hawley during a rally. During the rally, Butker joined Hawley on The Ingraham Angle, a conservative news and opinion-based talk show hosted by Laura Ingraham.
Butker didn’t necessarily endorse a specific presidential candidate on the show, but he alluded to where his vote would go.
“I’m supporting the president that’s going to be the most pro-life president,” Butker told Ingraham.
With Butker by his side, Hawly reflected on what it means to have Butker’s endorsement.
“It’s such an honor to have Harrison’s endorsement. It has been incredible to be out with him on the trail,” Hawley told Ingraham. “This is a guy who’s not afraid to speak the truth, who’s not afraid to say that we have got to stand on the principles of this country was founded on.”
Stephen Curry | Golden State Warriors
Stephen Curry is another athlete who has made his voice heard this election cycle.
Curry, a four-time NBA champion, formerly endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the election the day after it was announced that President Joe Biden would drop out of the race.
“[Harris] represents the Bay Area and is a big support of us, and we’re gonna give that energy right back to her,” Curry told USA Today.
John Daly | Golfer
John Daly, who has won two major championships in golf, is another active athlete who has not sidestepped where his loyalties lie ahead of the election.
Daly supports former President Donald Trump — notably, his support for Trump dates back to Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.
“[I’ve] known him too long. I’ve seen what he does with kids, I know what he does with charities,” Daly told Kyle Porter of CBS Sports in 2016. “The thing I love about Donald, it’s time this country is run by a businessman and not people with their hands out, and Donald doesn’t have his hands out.”
Since then, Daly’s support for Trump has continued. Recently, on Sept. 28, at the Georgia and Alabama game, Daly was photographed with Trump in a suite at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Athletes for Harris
Another thing of note is that Vice President Kamala Harris started a group called Athletes for Harris, hoping to recruit other athletes to support her campaign. Below is a list of the ten co-chairs that joined the initiative.
- Ali Krieger, former member of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team
- Ali Truwit, U.S. Paralympic swimmer
- Billie Jean King, former tennis player
- Candace Parker, three-time WNBA champion
- Chris Paul, San Antonio Spurs point guard
- Dawn Staley, South Carolina women’s basketball head coach
- Doc Rivers, Milwaukee Bucks head coach
- Magic Johnson, five-time NBA champion
- Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors head coach
- Thomas Booker, Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle
As the 2024 presidential race comes to a close, Americans will always be captivated by athletes’ involvement in the political landscape. With some of the largest platforms in the world, athletes have the power to shape political discourse for years to come.
