The White House announced that President Donald Trump has pardoned former San Francisco 49ers owner, Edward DeBartolo Jr. DeBartolo, 73, pleaded guilty in 1998 to failing to report a felony after paying $400,000 to former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards for a riverboat gambling license.
He helped build the 49ers’ dynasty in the 1980s and ’90s, but is notorious for his role in one of the biggest owners’ scandals in sport’s history.
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DeBartolo led the 49ers to five Super Bowl championships before stepping down in 1997 after reports emerged of his indictment for gambling fraud. He served no prison time, but was fined $1 million and was suspended for a year by the NFL.
“He’s the main reason why we won so many Super Bowls,” NFL great Jerry Rice said. “So today is a great day for him. I’m glad to be here and be a part of that. It’s just something I will never forget. This man, he has done so much in the community, has done so much in NFL football.”
“I take my hat off to Donald Trump for what he did,” Rice added.
The DeBartolo family made their fortune in commercial real estate and also owned the Pittsburgh Penguins of the NHL in addition to the 49ers.
DeBartolo was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016 and this pardon seems to truly cement his legacy in NFL history.
