A congressional race in Arizona has produced an unlikely pairing: one candidate is a former NFL kicker, and the man he’s running against once treated him on the sideline.
Republican Jay Feely will face Democrat Amish Shah in the November general election in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District. The odd wrinkle is that Shah was Feely’s team doctor during his years with the New York Jets.
Feely leaned into the surreal setup on X, posting, “We should probably have Larry David moderate our debates,” above a picture of the actor.
The matchup now shifts from the football sideline to a district that could help decide control of the House of Representatives.
Feely picked up a formal boost from President Donald Trump on Jul. 10, when Trump called him a “total winner, on and off the field.”
Trump’s endorsement also praised Feely’s family life, describing him as a devoted husband and father, and ended with the line that Feely “will never let you down.”
He’s also drawing support from some well-known names. Fox News reported that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell gave two donations totaling $7,000 to Feely’s campaign, split evenly between the primary and general elections at $3,500 apiece.
Charles Barkley, who has been a vocal critic of Trump, also contributed to Feely’s campaign, according to public FEC data.
The donor list doesn’t stop there. The Bidwill family, owners of the Arizona Cardinals, has put in a combined $17,000 through Michael, Nicole and Tim Bidwill.
Other contributors include New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and broadcaster Jim Nantz, who worked with Feely at CBS.
Feely’s football résumé is a big part of the story, too. Over a 14-year NFL career, he built a reputation as one of the league’s most dependable kickers, playing in 211 games for seven teams.
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