The White House announced that President Donald Trump has pardoned former San Francisco 49ers owner, Edward DeBartolo Jr. DeBartolo, 73, pleaded guilty in 1998 to failing to report a felony after paying $400,000 to former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards for a riverboat gambling license.

He helped build the 49ers’ dynasty in the 1980s and ’90s, but is notorious for his role in one of the biggest owners’ scandals in sport’s history.

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DeBartolo led the 49ers to five Super Bowl championships before stepping down in 1997 after reports emerged of his indictment for gambling fraud. He served no prison time, but was fined $1 million and was suspended for a year by the NFL.

“He’s the main reason why we won so many Super Bowls,” NFL great Jerry Rice said. “So today is a great day for him. I’m glad to be here and be a part of that. It’s just something I will never forget. This man, he has done so much in the community, has done so much in NFL football.”

“I take my hat off to Donald Trump for what he did,” Rice added.

The DeBartolo family made their fortune in commercial real estate and also owned the Pittsburgh Penguins of the NHL in addition to the 49ers.

DeBartolo was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016 and this pardon seems to truly cement his legacy in NFL history.

When the Los Angeles Rams and the New England Patriots couldn’t turn it up on the field, some fans debated turning the game off. However, most didn’t and made sure to catch the commercials. And one, in particular, shined above the rest. Though New England won on the field, the NFL won off it.

NFL Stars Past & Present Appear In Super Bowl Ad

The NFL’s “100 year” halftime ad was the highest-rated ad of the game, placing No. 1 out of 58 possible commercials. They’ve been spot-on with their commercials recently, finishing second place last year to Amazon for a Dirty Dancing parody by Eli Manning and Odell Beckham Jr. This year they finally jumped over the online shopping giant, which called on actor Harrison Ford for its Super Bowl ad this year.

The two-minute commercial featured a number of NFL greats from Joe Montana to Emmitt Smith to Deion Sanders. The ad begins at a black-tie dinner to celebrate the league’s upcoming 100th season with Commissioner Rodger Goodell giving a speech. But even the players are bored by him and Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch, channeling his “I’m just here so I won’t get fined” attitude, turns to grab a piece of cake. The golden football on top of the tower falls and the banquet hall turns into a brawl after one simple word is yelled out: “Fumble!” Next thing you know, players from as far back as 1957 are throwing around the ball, smashing through table, and flipping each other in an extreme game of kill the carrier.

“I feel honored to help ring in the NFL’s centennial season with a piece of creative that brings to life the passion, energy and storied history of football,” director Peter Berg said in a statement. “In fact, it’s one of the coolest things I’ve done in my career.”

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Though the ad called on players from today and the past, it also called on people who never set foot on an NFL field.  Female youth football player Sam Gordon, sportscaster Beth Mowins, Fortnite gamer Tyler “Ninja” Blevins, and Sarah Thomas, the NFL’s first female official, were all featured in the commercial.

“It was important to us that the spot was inclusive and emblematic of football’s expansive influence on American culture,” Tim Ellis, the NFL’s executive vice president and chief marketing officer, said.

Here’s the full commercial:

The NFL Hall of Fame Board sent a letter to commissioner Roger Goodell, Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith and the Hall of Fame’s president David C. Baker. In it, many high-profile Hall of Famers stated they would boycott the annual introduction ceremony until Hall of Famers receive health insurance and an annual salary, including a pension.

NFL Legends Threaten To Boycott League

Names like Eric Dickerson, chair of the new board, Jerry Rice, Kurt Warner, Marcus Allen, Mel Blount, Derrick Brooks, and Jim Brown signed on. Earl Campbell, Marshall Faulk, Ronnie Lott, Curtis Martin, Joe Namath, Deion Sanders, Lawrence Taylor and Sarah White, Reggie White’s widow, also were on the letter.

In it, they said, “We, the undersigned Pro Football Hall of Famers, were integral to the creation of the modern NFL, which in 2017 generated $14 billion in revenue.” The letter goes on, saying, “People know us from our highlight reels. They see us honored and mythologized before games and at halftime, and it would be reasonable if they thought life was good for us. But on balance, it’s not. As a group we are struggling with severe health and financial problems. To build this game, we sacrificed our bodies. In many cases, and despite the fact that we were led to believe otherwise, we sacrificed our minds. We believe we deserve more. We write to demand two things: Health insurance and annual salary for all Hall of Famers that includes a share of league revenue.” The signers stated that “more than a few of us don’t even know who or where we are. Our long careers left us especially vulnerable to the dangers of this violent sport, especially those intentionally hidden from us.”

They also questioned Goodell’s $40 million annual salary, which is $6.5 million more than the highest-paid player, as well as a $1 billion dollar Hall of Fame village being built in Canton, Ohio. The letter outlines that the total cost to provide Hall of Famers with health care is less than $4 million. The NFL makes that with a 30-second Super Bowl commercial. It’s .05% of the league’s annual revenue. Yet they refuse to provide it. By comparison, one day in MLB provides any player with lifetime healthcare.

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This comes as the NFL prepares to celebrate it’s 100th anniversary in 2020.  The letter states, “Until our demands are met, the Hall of Famers will not attend the annual induction ceremony in Canton. It’s well-known that the NFL is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2020, and while we are proud of our role in building this league, we don’t believe 100 years of player exploitation is something to celebrate. As we approach this momentous date, we challenge the NFL to honor its past by helping retired players instead of exploiting their images for marketing purposes.”

The move has been criticized. Rice said he wasn’t part of the board and will not boycott the ceremonies. However, he does support efforts to improve health insurance and benefits to all current and retired NFL players.

Warner also claimed his name was mistakenly attached to the letter but said he does support the effort to gain better lifetime benefits for all NFL players.

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After being asked why the plan is only for Hall of Famers, Dickerson told ESPN: “The players make the NFL. It’s not those jerseys, it’s the players. I just want everything to be fair. We’re not trying to beat the league. Playing in the NFL was an honor, but treat us fairly. Treat us like people think that we’re treated. People think we have this great pension. We don’t. We don’t have health care after five years. It’s not right, but this is for all players. That’s my big goal, but we have to start somewhere first. We have to start with the Hall of Famers to get this off the ground.”

Legendary San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice was initially part of the group of prominent sports figures who criticized the team’s backup quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, for taking a knee to protest the national anthem.

Jerry Rice Supports Colin Kaepernick, Anthem Protest After Initially Criticizing 49ers QB

Now, however, Rice has reversed course, saying he backs Kaepernick.

As demonstrated by the following tweet, the 53-year-old Hall of Famer expressed his support for his former team’s current QB, and more specifically for the statement Kaepernick intended to make on injustice and the oppression of minorities, especially at the hands of the police.

“I support @Kaepernick7 for bringing awareness for injustice !!! As Americans we all have rights! Im hoping we all come together#solution,” Rice wrote.

On Aug. 29, just three days after Kaepernick refused to stand for the anthem during an NFL preseason game, thus launching the protest that dozens of athletes have now replicated, Rice said he “respected his stance” but was outraged by Kaepernick’s dishonoring of the flag.

Among the players that have joined Kaepernick in his protest by kneeling or sitting during the playing of the “The Star-Spangled Banner” are some of the Seattle Seahawks, Miami Dolphins running back Arian Foster, Denver Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall, Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins and U.S. Women’s Soccer star Megan Rapinoe. 

Other players have continued protesting and making a statement by raising their fists, like Jenkins and two of his teammates, defensive end Steven Means and cornerback Ron Brooks did before the Eagles’ 29-14 road win over the Chicago Bears on Monday night.

Several of these players have also been heavily criticized by those who say the protest disrespects the flag, members of the armed forces, etc. Nevertheless, several veterans stated they support Kaepernick’s right to protest, even starting the hashtag #VeteransforKaepernick on social media, a topic that quickly became a top trending subject.

Some athletes have even been stymied in their attempts to repeat the protest, just as Rapinoe was when the national anthem was played early before a National Women’s Soccer League game between her team, the Seattle Reign, and the Washington Spirit.

Although Rice didn’t explain his opinion change on the protest, he could potentially be following moves made by NBA superstar Dwyane Wade. On Tuesday, Wade posted “#TERENCECRUTCHER” on Instagram, along with a written plea for the black community to unite following the release on Monday of a video showing Terence Crutcher, an unarmed black man, being fatally shot by police on the side of a road in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Friday.

Crutcher’s family has since demanded charges be brought against Betty Shelby, the policewoman who killed the young man. Shelby’s attorney said she believed Crutcher was behaving erratically, and may have possibly been under the influence of PCP.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – DECEMBER 23: Hall of Famer and former San Francisco 49er Jerry Rice catches passes prior to the start of an NFL Football game between the 49ers and Atlanta Falcons at Candlestick Park on December 23, 2013 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)