Trump ramps up NFL kickoff criticism after Super Bowl

President Trump ramped up his criticism of this season's new NFL kickoff rules in the wake of the Super Bowl late Sunday night.

The NFL, to protect player safety, instituted new rules this year that prevents the kicking team from leaving their positions to run down the field until the kicked ball is touched by a receiving team's player.

The changes are meant to reduce collisions on the field, and Trump has repeatedly criticized them, a position he returned to after the game.

“The worst part of the Super Bowl, by far, was watching the Kickoff where, as the ball is sailing through the air, the entire field is frozen, stiff. College Football does not do it, and won’t! Whose idea was it to ruin the Game?” the president said in a Truth Social post.

The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Kansas CIty Chiefs in Sunday’s Super Bowl, breaking a two-year winning streak for Kansas City. Trump had picked the Chiefs to win the big game.

“Two great Quarterbacks in this game. Also, an unbelievable running back, and the absolute best tight end in football (Ever!). Incredible coaching,” Trump said in a Truth Social post Friday, talking about the upcoming Super Bowl.

"If they would only get rid of that really weird looking new Kickoff ‘deal,’ which actually makes football more dangerous, they would be doing everybody, especially the fans, a big favor,” he added, even though the NFL last month said the injury rate was lower on returns this year than in the past.

The Hill has reached out to the NFL for comment.

The win by the Eagles raises the question of whether Trump will invite the winning team to the White House, which is a tradition. Trump disinvited the Eagles seven years ago, pointing to differences over standing for the national anthem.