Pro Football Hall of Famers Ed Reed and Ray Lewis have taken a strong stance against the White House for including their football highlights in a video that promotes the administration's military actions in Iran. The controversy erupted after the White House shared a social media video last week that mixed clips of the former Baltimore Ravens stars with footage of missile strikes on Iran.
White House Video Sparks Outrage
The video, captioned "Touchdown" and set to the AC/DC song "Thunderstruck," features two specific clips from the players' careers. One shows Ray Lewis making a crucial block during a 2002 "Monday Night Football" game, allowing his teammate Chris McAlister to return a missed field goal for a 107-yard touchdown. The other clip captures Ed Reed delivering a massive hit on Indianapolis Colts cornerback Waine Bacon in 2004.
These NFL moments are interspersed with recently released footage from U.S. Central Command that appears to show missiles targeting Iran. According to Iranian health officials, over 1,200 people have been killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes since late last month. The video also includes highlights from other NFL and college football players, with bombing imagery edited between the sports clips.
Players Voice Their Disapproval
A representative for Ray Lewis confirmed to HuffPost that neither Lewis nor his team was contacted by the White House for permission to use the footage. In an email, the representative stated, "This is something we do not agree with and would like Ray to be removed."
Ed Reed responded directly on social media when journalist Ben Jacobs brought the video to his attention. Reed simply wrote, "I do not approve this message," making his position clear without ambiguity.
History of Controversial White House Videos
This incident is not an isolated case for the White House social media team. Last month, they faced embarrassment after using footage from the 2022 sinking of a decommissioned U.S. Navy frigate in a hype video labeled "Lethality."
The administration has also been criticized for creating similar videos featuring celebrities like Sabrina Carpenter, Ben Stiller, and Kesha without their consent. Beyond football, the White House account recently used clips of old MLB stars in wartime promotional content, editing home runs alongside explosions and strikes.
Reed's Past Criticisms of Trump
Ed Reed has a history of publicly challenging Donald Trump. In 2017, Reed criticized the then-president after Trump questioned why the NFL received "massive tax breaks" while players knelt during the national anthem to protest racism and police brutality.
Reed wrote on Twitter, now X, "Dear Mr President, your right about everything but the players that are protesting the injustice this country has done to people since 1600s." Just days earlier, he had blasted Trump over various controversies, including inappropriate comments and behavior during disaster relief efforts.
It remains unclear whether the other footage in the White House video depicts actual strikes on Iran. HuffPost has reached out to the White House for comment, but no response has been provided at this time.
