In 2025, Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza snagged the Heisman to become the 91st winner and the sport’s newest darling. But in 2026, it’s Billy Cannon’s sixty-year-old ghost that stole headlines. On February 12, he received a gift that arrived eight years too late for him to see: a presidential pardon.

“Today, the President granted pardons to five former NFL players—Joe Klecko, Nate Newton, Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry, and the late great Dr. Billy Cannon,” Alice Marie Johnson, the “pardon czar” of Donald Trump, tweeted on February 12. 

The president can issue pardons at will or after reviewing petitions submitted through the Justice Department’s Office of the Pardon Attorney.

“As football reminds us, excellence is built on grit, grace, and the courage to rise again. So is our nation,” Johnson, the criminal justice advocate, wrote on social media, thanking Trump for his “continued commitment to second chances.”

Once celebrated on the field, the LSU alum’s story took a dark turn in 1983. He was sentenced to five years behind bars for masterminding a massive counterfeiting scheme. Cannon served for over two and a half years before his release and died in 2018 at 80.

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The former LSU Tigers standout pleaded guilty to conspiring to print and circulate $6 million in counterfeit $100 bills. Cannon admitted he bankrolled the initial engraving and printing to ease a cash-flow crunch. Even though the LSU alum has passed away, the president tried to lessen the stigma.

Though his story has been marred by darkness, it’s not like there was no light. His contribution to the sport has been an immense showcase of speed and power. The LSU legend clocked in a consistent 9.5 in the 100-yard dash, standing 6-foot-1, 210 pounds. By 1957, he was already a force on both offense and defense as a sophomore. His iconic 89-yard punt return against Ole Miss in 1959 lives on in college football history. Then came his pro league chapter.

LSU’s former halfback played in the NFL for 11 long seasons. Cannon’s pro league stint started with the Houston Oilers that lasted for three seasons between 1960 and 1963. The Tigers’ alum then joined the Oakland Raiders in 1964 and stayed till 1969 before switching to the Kansas City Chiefs. 

Along with Cannon, other players received a presidential pardon. 

The former NFL players who got pardoned, along with the LSU Tigers alum

Like the LSU alum, Trump also granted a pardon to the Tennessee alum Jamal Lewis. The Super Bowl-winning Baltimore Ravens running back was charged in 2004 for allegedly trying to broker a five-kilogram illegal substance deal. 

Another NFL star followed a similar path. Dallas Cowboys lineman Nate Newton ran into serious legal trouble, pleading guilty in 2002 to a federal substance trafficking charge after authorities found $10,000 in his truck and 175 pounds of marijuana in a nearby car.

Among the ones whom Trump granted a pardon, only the Tigers alum held a doctorate. So, Cannon’s contribution extended far beyond football. The former Tigers player made the most of his offseason. He pursued dentistry at the University of Tennessee and Loyola University Chicago, collecting two degrees before settling in Baton Rouge as an orthodontist and thoroughbred horse breeder. His dental practice reportedly brought in around $300,000 annually.

Meanwhile, LSU football never forgot Cannon’s contributions to the sport. When he first earned a spot in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1983, it was revoked because of his conviction. His name ultimately went on the plaque with a 2008 induction.

“The people of Louisiana are very quick to love and also very quick to forgive,” he said.

On the 50th anniversary of his iconic run vs. Ole Miss, Cannon graced Tiger Stadium. 90,000 fans gathered to watch a replay of his 89-yard heroics. Unfortunately, Trump’s pardon arrived too late for the LSU alum to witness it in person.