Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Saquon Barkley Surprised To Be Named to President’s Sports Council Despite Rejecting the Offer

Saquon Barkley declines President Trump's offer to join sports council

Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Eagles’ running back Saquon Barkley was surprised to learn on Monday that his name featured in a list for the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition.

According to the 2024 NFL Offensive Player of the Year, he was approached for the same earlier this year, but since he had turned down the offer, he was shocked to learn that his name still featured on the list.

Why Has Barkley’s Name Featured on the President’s Council?

When the Eagles’ running back was asked about being named to the President’s Council, Barkley stated that his team was approached earlier in the year regarding the matter, but that he declined to take it up since he felt he would be too busy.

“Couple months ago it was brought to my team about the council. So, I’m not really too familiar with it. I felt like I’m going to be super busy so, me and my family thought it was probably in the best interest to not accept that. So, was definitely a little shocked when my name was mentioned. I’m assuming it’s something great, so I appreciate it, but was a little shocked my name was mentioned.”

Eagles RB Saquon Barkley did not accept President Donald Trump’s invitation to serve on his council on sports, fitness and nutrition, he said Monday, adding that he was “shocked” his name was mentioned.

Story via @Tim_McManus:https://t.co/E5VlALAQEQ
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 4, 2025

Barkley and President Trump have somewhat of a friendly history, especially considering the Super Bowl LIX winner spent quite some time with Trump just a day before the team celebrated their victory at the White House. The pair were seen taking a ride on Air Force One, and also played golf together at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey.

Following the episode, social media stirred up a bit of controversy as Barkley spent all that time with Trump, but the 28-year-old took to his X account to clear the air.

“Lol some people are really upset cause I played golfed and flew to the White House with the PRESIDENT. Maybe I just respect the office, not a hard concept to understand. Just golfed with Obama not too long ago … and look forward to finishing my round with Trump! Now ya get out my mentions with all this politics and have amazing day.”

Saquon Barkley responds to criticism after he spent time with President Trump ahead of the Eagles' White House visit. pic.twitter.com/94gEyGeU4Y
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) April 28, 2025

Other Notable Athletes On the Council

Trump’s council, centered around sports and fitness, has recruited several other top athletes and prominent personalities in the world of sports.

Golfer Bryson DeChambeau will be acting as the chair, while other notable individuals such as 49ers defensive star Nick Bosa, Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, and Texas Tech’s Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) collective head Cody Campbell are all prominent members.

However, the list of athletes and other top individuals does not end there. It also features hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, WWE’s Paul “Triple H” Levesque, golf legends Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, as well as current golfers Nelly Korda and Annika Sörenstam. The Florida Panthers’ forward Matthew Tkachuk from the NHL, as well as legendary pitcher Mariano Rivera, also made it to the council.

The NFL is also well represented with the likes of commissioner Roger Goodell, former quarterback turned commentator Tony Romo, current Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, and former Giants’ sensation Lawrence Taylor.

🚨BREAKING: Five #NFL stars have been appointed by President Donald Trump to serve on the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition.

Saquon Barkley
Harrison Butker
Lawrence Taylor
Nick Bosa
Tua Tagovailoa

They will help advise the President on all of these matters. pic.twitter.com/JReqKy63Cs
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) August 1, 2025

Overall, the council is well represented by athletes from various sporting backgrounds. Had Barkley decided to participate in this endeavor, he would definitely have been a great addition to the team; however, as told to reporters, the Eagles’ running back will not be taking part.

Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Donald Trump

NFL

Philadelphia Eagles

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Devavrat Kulkarni

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I am a content writer for the NFL team, and joined The Playoffs after working with Sportskeeda and NFL Analysis as an NFL writer. After starting my professional career as a French-to-English translator, working as a content writer is a new adventure for me. I started out in the sports media field for two main reasons: my love for sports in general, especially the NFL, NBA, and Tennis, as well as my passion for writing. The best part of this job is that I get to write a variety of pieces with the freedom to explore content from various angles. It also enables me to stay up to date with the sporting world, which otherwise can be difficult to do in the day-to-day grind. In a world full of chaos, sports unite and entertain like nothing else!