The NFL kicker going from CBS booth to ballot with Goodell’s blessing, and the Trump aides building an off-ramp in Iran even as the White House flails
Transparency shouldn't be controversial.
Welcome to Wednesday’s edition of Washington Secrets, your guide to what’s going on behind the red and blue curtains. First of all, apologies if you are finding delivery of Secrets to be sporadic. We are upgrading our systems, which will make the whole experience much more straightforward … once we get past some initial hiccups. Today, we hear from a former pro football player making the leap into politics and drill into Donald Trump’s Iran off-ramps.
Suppose you were a professional football players’ association rep who called out the NFL commissioner as untrustworthy and took the opposite side to the league and the owners during the 2011 lockout. A proper thorn in their sides.
Then you run for Congress.
If you are Jay Feely, a 14-year kicker in the NFL, you ask Roger Goodell for a donation.
And if you are Feely, you get it.
Goodell contributed the maximum $3,500 for Feely’s primary and general election campaigns in Arizona, where he is running as a Trump-backed Republican.
Today, there is no awkwardness about that history, Feely told Secrets.
“I think he knew that I had a job to do as the player rep, and I did it in a way that was respectful,” he said by phone as he drove to meet another donor. “And you know, I’m a logical, thoughtful, reasonable person, even when you’re negotiating a [collective bargaining agreement], which can be contentious at times.
“I think that I always tried to keep the big picture in mind. And I think it’s similar in politics.”
His four seasons playing for Arizona, where he once scored 25 points, including a touchdown, in a game, and subsequent career as a CBS commentator — he has thoughts on what it is like to be a Republican in the broadcast world, more on that below — mean he comes with a head start in name recognition.
FORMER NFL KICKER JAY FEELY ANNOUNCES RUN FOR HOUSE SEAT IN ARIZONA
His Federal Election Commission filings look like something from the sports pages. They are made up of names he got to know first as a player — with the Falcons, both New York teams, and the Cardinals, among others — and then in the commentary booth.
The filings show four-figure contributions from former players such as John Elway, Brian Urlacher, Ken Whisenhunt, and Mark Sanchez; team owners including Bob Kraft (Patriots), Arthur Blank (Falcons), and Jimmy and Dee Haslam (Browns); and former NBA star Charles Barkley, as well as golfers Fred Couples and Chez Reavie.
It is the Goodell donation that stands out.
In 2012, Feely was …
Transparency shouldn't be controversial.
Welcome to Wednesday’s edition of Washington Secrets, your guide to what’s going on behind the red and blue curtains. First of all, apologies if you are finding delivery of Secrets to be sporadic. We are upgrading our systems, which will make the whole experience much more straightforward … once we get past some initial hiccups. Today, we hear from a former pro football player making the leap into politics and drill into Donald Trump’s Iran off-ramps.
Suppose you were a professional football players’ association rep who called out the NFL commissioner as untrustworthy and took the opposite side to the league and the owners during the 2011 lockout. A proper thorn in their sides.
Then you run for Congress.
If you are Jay Feely, a 14-year kicker in the NFL, you ask Roger Goodell for a donation.
And if you are Feely, you get it.
Goodell contributed the maximum $3,500 for Feely’s primary and general election campaigns in Arizona, where he is running as a Trump-backed Republican.
Today, there is no awkwardness about that history, Feely told Secrets.
“I think he knew that I had a job to do as the player rep, and I did it in a way that was respectful,” he said by phone as he drove to meet another donor. “And you know, I’m a logical, thoughtful, reasonable person, even when you’re negotiating a [collective bargaining agreement], which can be contentious at times.
“I think that I always tried to keep the big picture in mind. And I think it’s similar in politics.”
His four seasons playing for Arizona, where he once scored 25 points, including a touchdown, in a game, and subsequent career as a CBS commentator — he has thoughts on what it is like to be a Republican in the broadcast world, more on that below — mean he comes with a head start in name recognition.
FORMER NFL KICKER JAY FEELY ANNOUNCES RUN FOR HOUSE SEAT IN ARIZONA
His Federal Election Commission filings look like something from the sports pages. They are made up of names he got to know first as a player — with the Falcons, both New York teams, and the Cardinals, among others — and then in the commentary booth.
The filings show four-figure contributions from former players such as John Elway, Brian Urlacher, Ken Whisenhunt, and Mark Sanchez; team owners including Bob Kraft (Patriots), Arthur Blank (Falcons), and Jimmy and Dee Haslam (Browns); and former NBA star Charles Barkley, as well as golfers Fred Couples and Chez Reavie.
It is the Goodell donation that stands out.
In 2012, Feely was …
The NFL kicker going from CBS booth to ballot with Goodell’s blessing, and the Trump aides building an off-ramp in Iran even as the White House flails
Transparency shouldn't be controversial.
Welcome to Wednesday’s edition of Washington Secrets, your guide to what’s going on behind the red and blue curtains. First of all, apologies if you are finding delivery of Secrets to be sporadic. We are upgrading our systems, which will make the whole experience much more straightforward … once we get past some initial hiccups. Today, we hear from a former pro football player making the leap into politics and drill into Donald Trump’s Iran off-ramps.
Suppose you were a professional football players’ association rep who called out the NFL commissioner as untrustworthy and took the opposite side to the league and the owners during the 2011 lockout. A proper thorn in their sides.
Then you run for Congress.
If you are Jay Feely, a 14-year kicker in the NFL, you ask Roger Goodell for a donation.
And if you are Feely, you get it.
Goodell contributed the maximum $3,500 for Feely’s primary and general election campaigns in Arizona, where he is running as a Trump-backed Republican.
Today, there is no awkwardness about that history, Feely told Secrets.
“I think he knew that I had a job to do as the player rep, and I did it in a way that was respectful,” he said by phone as he drove to meet another donor. “And you know, I’m a logical, thoughtful, reasonable person, even when you’re negotiating a [collective bargaining agreement], which can be contentious at times.
“I think that I always tried to keep the big picture in mind. And I think it’s similar in politics.”
His four seasons playing for Arizona, where he once scored 25 points, including a touchdown, in a game, and subsequent career as a CBS commentator — he has thoughts on what it is like to be a Republican in the broadcast world, more on that below — mean he comes with a head start in name recognition.
FORMER NFL KICKER JAY FEELY ANNOUNCES RUN FOR HOUSE SEAT IN ARIZONA
His Federal Election Commission filings look like something from the sports pages. They are made up of names he got to know first as a player — with the Falcons, both New York teams, and the Cardinals, among others — and then in the commentary booth.
The filings show four-figure contributions from former players such as John Elway, Brian Urlacher, Ken Whisenhunt, and Mark Sanchez; team owners including Bob Kraft (Patriots), Arthur Blank (Falcons), and Jimmy and Dee Haslam (Browns); and former NBA star Charles Barkley, as well as golfers Fred Couples and Chez Reavie.
It is the Goodell donation that stands out.
In 2012, Feely was …
