Trump: Missed penalty in Rams-Saints game was ‘maybe the worst call I’ve ever seen’

President Trump on Wednesday weighed in on the controversial no-call that happened late in the NFC Championship game between the Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints.

The missed called largely led to the Rams being able to tie the game and win in overtime, earning a spot in the Super Bowl this Sunday.

{mosads}In an interview with The Daily Caller, the president said the no-call, which has infuriated Saints fans and politicians in Louisiana, was “maybe the worst call I’ve ever seen.”

Trump said he feels “badly” for Louisiana, noting that the state voted for him in the 2016 presidential election.

“It was a great state that voted for me, Louisiana. I feel very badly for Louisiana because that was maybe the worst call I’ve ever seen, but I guess there’s nothing they can do about that,” he said. “And you might say it, I feel badly for Louisiana.”

The no-call that came near the end of regulation in the Jan. 20 game has been a source of controversy among NFL fans, prompting a number of lawmakers to weigh in. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) said he planned to boycott the Super Bowl, which is being played Sunday in Atlanta, over the call and sent a formal complaint to the league.

In the Daily Caller interview, Trump also praised the New England Patriots and pointed to his friendships with quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick. He said the “chemistry” of Brady, Belichick and Patriots owner Robert Kraft are responsible for the team’s nine Super Bowl appearances since 2001.

“So, it’s talent, it’s chemistry — they have a great chemistry with each other — I mean, I like all three of them, as you know, I’m a very good friend with them,” he said. “Coach Belichick endorsed me, you remember that?” 

“Belichick is so tough and Kraft is a great guy. The three of them they just have — how good was Brady, I mean, the last game? Not the last game, the last two games,” he added. “Brady plays better under pressure than he does in a regular game. I mean, that last two minutes, the way he was throwing the ball down the field — they were bullets.”

Belichick is a member of Trump’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition.

Trump also said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell called him to thank him for a provision in the new trade deal with Canada related to Super Bowl advertisements.

“They were working on that thing for years. … It was a long-term problem and I got it solved,” Trump said.

Trump has had a sometimes contentious relationship with the NFL in recent years over players kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequality. He has repeatedly attacked a number of players for participating in the protests and urged NFL owners to fire players who took part.