President Donald Trump pardoned five former professional football players who had previously been convicted of federal crimes. The announcement was made by White House pardon czar Alice Marie Johnson, who said the action reflects the administration’s commitment to second chances.

The former players receiving clemency are Joe Klecko, Nate Newton, Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry, and the late Billy Cannon.

Johnson wrote on X that football reflects grit and perseverance and thanked Trump for his continued focus on clemency. She also said Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones personally informed Newton of the decision.

Klecko, a former standout defensive lineman for the New York Jets, pleaded guilty to perjury after lying to a federal grand jury investigating insurance fraud. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023 and earned multiple All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors during his career.

Newton, an offensive lineman for the Dallas Cowboys, pleaded guilty to a federal drug trafficking charge after authorities found $10,000 in his vehicle and 175 pounds of marijuana in a companion car. He won three Super Bowls and was named All-Pro twice.

Lewis, who played for the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns, pleaded guilty in a drug case involving the use of a cellphone to facilitate a transaction shortly after entering the league as a high draft pick. He was named the 2003 Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year.

Henry, formerly of the Denver Broncos, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic cocaine after financing a drug operation that transported narcotics between Colorado and Montana. He was selected to the Pro Bowl once during his career.

Cannon, who played for the Houston Oilers, Oakland Raiders, and Kansas City Chiefs, admitted to counterfeiting in the 1980s after financial difficulties. Cannon was a two-time All-Pro selection and won the 1959 Heisman Trophy at Louisiana State University. He died in 2018.

The pardons mark another high-profile use of presidential clemency authority during Trump’s current term.