President Donald Trump said his Republican Midterm Convention in Dallas on Wednesday night drew bigger numbers than the NFL’s season-opening game, even as it aired against a Patriots-Seahawks matchup that turned into a rough night for New England’s offense.
“The Republican Midterm Convention last night, in Dallas, was a major, sold-out hit, far bigger, better, and more important than anyone thought possible,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “It was really something, streaming all over the place, and really big numbers, despite going up against the NFL. The overall numbers beat the NFL. The Arena, which was really nice, beat its own attendance records. The place was packed! There were thousands of people outside who couldn’t get in. Screens were provided. I guess people LOVE TRUMP POLITICS! I’ll be there again tonight to close out the show.”
Official ratings for both the convention broadcast and the NFL opener had not been released at the time of the claim.
Patriots struggle in season opener
On the field, New England’s opening game did not go smoothly. Quarterback Drake Maye had a difficult night, including a widely criticized throw in the fourth quarter, and the Patriots dropped to 0-1 on the season. Wide receiver AJ Brown was injured during the game. Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold played just five snaps before missing the remainder of the contest.
Rams-49ers head to Netflix from Australia
The NFL’s international slate continues Friday morning with the Rams facing the 49ers in Melbourne, Australia, kicking off at 10:30 a.m. Eastern. The game will stream on Netflix, marking a continued push by the league into streaming platforms for regular-season broadcasts.
A lopsided line in college football
In Florida, No. 7 Miami is a 59.5-point favorite over Florida A&M in Thursday night’s ACC Network matchup, one of the largest point spreads seen in a major college football game.
Rodgers discusses past relationship with Danica Patrick
Separately, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers spoke about his past relationship with Danica Patrick during an interview on Cam Heyward’s podcast that was released Thursday morning.
“I dated Danica. She had just retired. She was depressed and not fun to be around. But I didn’t leave her because I was trying to be there and be a good partner. Then it was going a certain direction, obviously. There was no intimacy; there was nothing,” Rodgers said. “She tells a story that she was so blindsided and getting left by you, and that he leaves a trail of blood around him. And I’m like, what are you talking about? That’s not what happened.”
Rodgers also described a disagreement over a home purchase in Malibu. “I’m buying a house in Malibu, and she goes, ‘Do you want to buy it together?’ And I said no. And she said, ‘You know what that means then?’ And I said, ‘Yeah, that’s the way things are going.’ She said, ‘Well, let’s get counseling.’ Then we got counseling. Then COVID hits and we’re stuck together,” he said.
