Sports
Trump backs Clemens’ Hall of Fame bid, rejecting banned-substance allegations tied to MLB’s steroid era
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Roger Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards and pitched for New York Yankees teams that won back-to-back World Series titles. But Clemens’ career was ultimately defined by baseball’s steroid era.
Clemens last pitched in a Major League Baseball (MLB) game in 2007 during his second stint with the Yankees. By 2008, he found himself embroiled in a federal investigation into the suspected use of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) by several prominent major league players.
Clemens testified before Congress that he did not take PEDs and was acquitted of the federal charge of lying to Congress. Clemens is now one of eight Baseball Hall of Fame nominees selected by the Contemporary Baseball Era Players Committee.
President Donald Trump has made it clear that he believes Clemens should be in Cooperstown.
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President Donald Trump arrives at Yankee Stadium for a game between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers, Sept. 11. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
On the eve of the announcement of the newest list of inductees, Trump took to Truth Social to effectively reject accusations of Clemens’ previous steroid use. “The only reason he is not (in the Hall of Fame) is because of rumors and innuendo, which were not proven,” Trump wrote.
Trump also pointed to Clemens’ nickname, “The Rocket,” saying “he earned” the moniker “very early in his career because of his blazing fastball, was just as dominant before those erroneous allegations were leveled against him. I sincerely hope that the Committee uses its great judgment (Roger’s opponents never proved a thing against him, and he may have the best pitching record, all told, in the History of Baseball!), and the Baseball Commissioner has the Strength, Wisdom, and Power to do the right thing, and put Roger Clemens in The Baseball Hall of Fame, IMMEDIATELY!”
ROGER CLEMENS THANKS TRUMP FOR BASEBALL HALL OF FAME SUPPORT, HITS BACK AT CRITICS
Neither the MLB commissioner’s office nor the White House immediately responded to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.
The Contemporary Baseball Era Players Committee considers retired players whose eligibility to make it to Cooperstown via a majority vote from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) has expired. The writers’ association is responsible for selecting recently retired players.
Roger Clemens throws a pitch during Game 2 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium in New York, Oct. 22, 2000. (Robert Deutsch/USA TODAY/USA TODAY NETWORK)
Clemens’ last chance to be listed on the BBWAA Hall of Fame ballot was in 2022; that year he received just over 65% of the vote. Players must receive at least 75% of the vote to become enshrined in Cooperstown.
Power-hitting outfielder Barry Bonds, whose historic career was also tainted by accusations of PED use, is being considered this year by the committee. Bonds also avoided criminal charges in a steroid probe. He has previously stated he never knowingly used any banned substances.
Former Houston Astros pitcher Roger Clemens tosses a ball before the game between the Astros and the Tampa Bay Rays at Minute Maid Park, Aug. 2, 2024, in Houston. (Troy Taormina/USA TODAY Sports)
Clemens and Bonds were two of the high-profile names listed in the Mitchell Report in 2007.
The report was authored by former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell, R-Maine, who conducted a monthslong probe into the suspected use of human growth hormone and anabolic steroids.
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Trump has previously voiced support for Clemens’ Hall of Fame hopes. After Trump wrote in a social media post that there was “no evidence” the retired pitcher was a steroid user, Clemens thanked the president for his support.
“I appreciate the love! DT knows more than anyone the fake news that’s out there,” Clemens wrote on X in August. “Everyone has their agendas… I played the game to change my family’s direction generationally and to WIN!”
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The National Football League has been inching closer and closer to an 18-game season, and if it were up to Robert Kraft, it would happen as soon as possible.
The New England Patriots owner sounded as if he was predicting the change could come sooner rather than later, while also saying that more international games could be on the horizon.
“We’re going to push like the Dickens now to make international more important with us. Every team will go to 18 [regular season games] and two [preseason games] and eliminate one of the preseason games. Every team every year will play one game overseas,” Kraft told Boston radio’s “The Sports Hub.”
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Owner Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots looks on prior to the NFL game between the Patriots and the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, on Oct. 5, 2025. (Bryan Bennett/Getty Images)
Kraft said the changes would be “so we can continue to grow the cap and keep our labor happy.”
“Because we’re sort of getting near the top here with the coverage. Ninety-three of the top 100 programs on television are NFL games. Think about that. It’s really amazing,” Kraft said. “And you look at the size of our crowds versus the other sports and it’s really, you know we had that Amazon game on Thursday a couple weeks ago. 31 million people streamed. So as long as we can keep growing revenue, we can keep long-term labor peace.”
A wide view of play in the first half during an NFL International Series game at Wembley Stadium. (Peter van den Berg-Imagn Images)
ELI MANNING DISHES ON STATE OF THE GIANTS AFTER ‘UNBELIEVABLE’ JOHN HARBAUGH HIRE
All 32 teams hve played at least one game overseasons, with the Jacksonville Jaguars leading the way at 14 contests.
The push for an 18-game season came upon the realization that adding a game to the end of the regular season would extend the Super Bowl to Presidents’ Day weekend, meaning that the following day would be an off day for the majority of the workforce.
There have been numerous arguments to make the day after the Super Bowl a national holiday, but there’s never been legitimate movement.
A detailed view of the Super Bowl LX logo on Sept. 14, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Super Bowl 60 will be held in the San Francisco Bay Area. (Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images)
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Teams played 14-game seasons from 1961 to 1977 and then 16 games until the 2020 season, implementing a 17th game in 2021.
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From Paige Bueckers in 2022 to JuJu Watkins last March, many of the world’s best female players are suffering serious knee injuries.
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Former Michigan Wolverines wide receiver Anthony Simpson made startling claims about his playing time when he was at the school in relation to the Sherrone Moore scandal.
Moore was fired by Michigan in December after the school said he had an “inappropriate relationship” with a staffer. He was later arrested after an incident with the woman following his dismissal. Michigan hired Kyle Whittingham to replace him as head coach.
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Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore walks off the field after the 31-12 loss to Texas at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (Junfu Han/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Simpson transferred to Michigan from Massachusetts before the 2025 season. But he got minimal playing time and entered the transfer portal once more after receiving one more year of eligibility.
He claimed in since-deleted posts on X that his playing time was affected due to players allegedly blackmailing Moore because of his alleged extramarital affairs, according to Sports Illustrated.
“If I kept my mouth closed no one would know that I was a part of a scandal that impacted the team and impacted my chance to add to my production in college,” he wrote on social media. “Tried to stay at Michigan but the ‘GM’ [Sean Magee] said there wasn’t a roster spot for me. God has plans for us all and I can’t wait to see where this journey takes me. Thank you Michigan.
Michigan Wolverines wide receiver Anthony Simpson (5) runs an end around for a first down during the Michigan Wolverines versus the Central Michigan Chippewas game on Saturday Sept. 13, 2025 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Steven King/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
MICHIGAN QB BRYCE UNDERWOOD TO REMAIN WITH PROGRAM AFTER SHERRONE MOORE SCANDAL
“Targets vs non targets, I was the best slot receiver for Michigan and I was treated unfairly due to [Sherrone] Moore being blackmailed by players and staff members. Which jeopardized my opportunity to get on the field. Fastest player on the team and I won reps every day in practice. Only there for fall camp. Our team captains also advocated for me to play. I was denied fairness.”
Former Michigan players Cristian Dixon and Raheem Anderson appeared to co-sign Simpson’s posts.
Fox News Digital reached out to Michigan for comment.
Simpson has since transferred to Toledo.
Sherrone Moore is seen during warmups prior to the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Michigan Stadium on Nov. 29, 2025 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Luke Hales/Getty Images)
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Michigan will look to start fresh in 2026 as the Moore case unravels in court.
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