Former NFL kicker and CBS broadcaster Jay Feely announced plans to run for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday.
“I’m excited to announce my candidacy for U.S. Congress in Arizona’s 5th Congressional District,” Feely wrote on X. “I look forward to earning your vote.”
Feely — who played 13 seasons in the NFL with six teams before becoming a commentator, reporter and analyst for CBS Sports — is a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump and will seek to replace Rep. Andy Biggs, who is running to become governor of Arizona after eight years in Congress.
Feely’s campaign website said he is running “to fight for border security, protect our freedoms and put America First.”
He has publicly endorsed Trump’s sweeping tariff policies and deportation efforts. He has said transgender athletes should not participate in girls’ and women’s sports. “Radical gender ideology is destroying fairness and opportunity for young women, and weak leaders are letting it happen,” his website states.
Feely said it was the July assassination attempt on Trump in Pennsylvania that inspired him to run for office.
Born and raised near Tampa, Fla., Feely attended the University of Michigan from 1994 to 1998, winning a national championship with the Wolverines in 1997. He had a two-year stint in the Arena Football League before joining the Atlanta Falcons in 2001.
His longest run with a team was with the Arizona Cardinals from 2010 to 2013. He finished his professional career with the Chicago Bears the following season. After retiring, he joined the CBS Sports Network, first as a color analyst covering college football, and later moved to cover the NFL in 2017.
(Photo: Christian Petersen / Getty Images)