EDIT: President Trump reportedly has called his trip to the Buccaneers’ game on Sunday off, per CNN senior White House Correspondent Kristen Holmes. This story was originally written when President Trump was scheduled to attend the game.
Good news for the many people who hated this news— after we reported it, I am told they pulled down the trip. So… hope you kept your tickets! https://t.co/ZQNpS4EJii
— Kristen Holmes (@KristenhCNN) October 13, 2026
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are looking to improve to 2-4 on the year when they face off against the Pittsburgh Steelers this upcoming Sunday at Raymond James Stadium. And when they do, they’ll reportedly be hosting a high-profile guest.
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, is reportedly planning on attending Tampa Bay’s game against Pittsburgh, per CNN senior White House correspondent Kristen Holmes. The game will be played in Tampa, 220 miles away from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach.
President Trump is expected to attend the Tampa Bay game in Florida Sunday, two sources familiar with the plan tell CNN.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are playing the Steelers.
— Kristen Holmes (@KristenhCNN) October 13, 2026President Donald Trump to Attend Bucs-Steelers in Tampa 
President Donald Trump gestures during his speech at a rally in support of Republican | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Trump will attend the game Sunday just one day before he’s scheduled to appear in Wichita, Kansas, for a campaign rally ahead of midterm elections.
This game is slated to be the third football game Trump has attended this year, and it will be his first NFL game. Trump previously attended the College Football National Championship game between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Miami Hurricanes in Miami on Jan. 19, and he also attended a game between the Texas Longhorns and the Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Sept. 26.
His appearance will mark the first time a sitting United States President has ever attended a Tampa Bay Buccaneers game.
Trump’s appearance will certainly increase security around the event, both through traffic on the way there and around the stadium itself, but it could also add a wrinkle that could affect the players and coaches on the field come game day.
Communications Affected by Trump’s Appearance? 
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles during the second half against the Cleveland Browns | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian told reporters before their game against Tennessee that friends of his on Miami’s coaching staff informed him that communications are cut whenever the President moves locations in the stadium.
“Anytime the President changes locations within the stadium, they cut all communication. They cut your headsets in terms of coach to player communication. So you have to plan for that,” Sarkisian said. “You get no warning. It just cuts out. You have to be prepared for that.”
Trump’s own team on social media pushed back at this narrative after his appearance at the game, but either way, it’s something to think about for head coach Todd Bowles and his staff.
No, President Trump’s departure from the CFP championship in January did not cause headset or comms issues for the teams.@MarcACaputo has the receipts: https://t.co/ZMN0vkpNCS
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 25, 2026
Bowles and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson are no strangers to that, though. Tampa Bay’s communications were not working during the team’s first game of the season against the Cincinnati Bengals, and it had to deal with that then, too. There’s no guarantee that Trump’s appearance will continue to cause those issues, but if it does, the Bucs will likely be prepared.
Tampa Bay faces off against Pittsburgh at 1 p.m. on Oct. 18.
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