This is why you don’t hear anything about Congress investigating The National Football League for steroids.
The San Diego Chargers are hardly professional football’s most prolific team, having advanced to just one Super Bowl – they lost the game – in 43 years.
When playing politics, however, the Chargers are untouchable: Team owners, officials and players have combined to contribute more than $2.4 million to political candidates and committees since the 1990 election cycle, a Center for Responsive Politics analysis of federal campaign finance data indicates.
That’s nearly four times as much as the runner-up Houston Texans, whose associates have contributed more than $623,000 to federal candidates and committees during the past two decades.
| Team | Total | Democrats | Republicans | Dem % | Repub % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego Chargers |
$2,455,200
|
$40,773
|
$2,414,427
|
2%
|
98%
|
| Houston Texans |
$623,456
|
$4,000
|
$615,256
|
1%
|
99%
|
| Arizona Cardinals |
$337,096
|
$85,950
|
$251,146
|
25%
|
75%
|
| Washington Redskins |
$323,000
|
$8,550
|
$314,450
|
3%
|
97%
|
| National Football League |
$322,373
|
$224,798
|
$97,075
|
70%
|
30%
|
| New York Jets |
$261,403
|
$26,011
|
$235,392
|
10%
|
90%
|
| New Orleans Saints |
$257,913
|
$18,150
|
$239,763
|
7%
|
93%
|
| St Louis Rams |
$234,800
|
$230,050
|
$4,750
|
98%
|
2%
|
| Pittsburgh Steelers |
$229,307
|
$128,892
|
$100,415
|
56%
|
44%
|
| Jacksonville Jaguars |
$201,066
|
$36,564
|
$164,502
|
18%
|
82%
|
| Philadelphia Eagles |
$183,500
|
$156,400
|
$27,100
|
85%
|
15%
|
| Dallas Cowboys |
$164,467
|
$29,600
|
$134,867
|
18%
|
82%
|
| Minnesota Vikings |
$131,175
|
$14,600
|
$116,575
|
11%
|
89%
|
| Kansas City Chiefs |
$130,300
|
$20,950
|
$109,350
|
16%
|
84%
|
| Cincinnati Bengals |
$126,200
|
$1,750
|
$124,450
|
1%
|
99%
|
| Cleveland Browns |
$125,526
|
$41,126
|
$84,400
|
33%
|
67%
|
| New England Patriots |
$122,400
|
$88,200
|
$24,200
|
72%
|
20%
|
| Indianapolis Colts |
$117,150
|
$56,150
|
$61,000
|
48%
|
52%
|
| San Francisco 49ers |
$111,121
|
$93,015
|
$18,106
|
84%
|
16%
|
| Denver Broncos |
$110,413
|
$36,850
|
$73,563
|
33%
|
67%
|
| Miami Dolphins |
$108,001
|
$92,000
|
$15,751
|
85%
|
15%
|
| Baltimore Ravens |
$92,471
|
$34,871
|
$57,600
|
38%
|
62%
|
| Carolina Panthers |
$89,018
|
$34,500
|
$54,518
|
39%
|
61%
|
| Atlanta Falcons |
$77,350
|
$25,950
|
$51,400
|
34%
|
66%
|
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
$71,883
|
$34,600
|
$36,583
|
48%
|
51%
|
| Los Angeles Rams |
$52,250
|
$47,250
|
$5,000
|
90%
|
10%
|
| United Football League |
$41,100
|
$41,100
|
$0
|
100%
|
0%
|
| Buffalo Bills |
$38,506
|
$25,006
|
$13,500
|
65%
|
35%
|
| Tennessee Titans |
$36,050
|
$4,450
|
$31,600
|
12%
|
88%
|
| Detroit Lions |
$32,751
|
$20,750
|
$12,001
|
63%
|
37%
|
| New York Giants |
$31,000
|
$8,700
|
$22,300
|
28%
|
72%
|
| Chicago Bears |
$28,100
|
$13,050
|
$15,050
|
46%
|
54%
|
| Seattle Seahawks |
$24,402
|
$13,000
|
$11,402
|
53%
|
47%
|
| Green Bay Packers |
$8,750
|
$2,550
|
$6,200
|
29%
|
71%
|
| Oakland Raiders |
$6,800
|
$4,050
|
$2,750
|
60%
|
40%
|
| Pro Football Hall of Fame |
$6,400
|
$2,650
|
$3,750
|
41%
|
59%
|
| NFL Network |
$6,000
|
$1,900
|
$4,100
|
32%
|
68%
|
| NFL Properties |
$3,000
|
$3,000
|
$0
|
100%
|
0%
|
| Arena Football League |
$3,000
|
$1,000
|
$2,000
|
33%
|
67%
|
| Pro Arena Football |
$2,300
|
$2,300
|
$0
|
100%
|
0%
|
| Los Angeles Raiders |
$2,000
|
$2,000
|
$0
|
100%
|
0%
|
| Detroit Super Bowl XL Host Cmte |
$250
|
$250
|
$0
|
100%
|
0%
|
He’s back! Chris Carter seems a little pissed.
The 39-year-old quarterback turned his back on retirement for the second time in as many years, agreeing Tuesday to play for the Minnesota Vikings.
The deal is worth between $10 million to $12 million, according to ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen.
The Vikings made it official with a news release early Tuesday afternoon. A news conference to introduce Favre is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET.
The first inkling that something was afoot came early Tuesday, when two television stations in Hattiesburg, Miss., and Minneapolis reported that the Vikings had sent a private plane to Hattiesburg to pick up Favre.
Favre and his wife, Deanna, arrived to cheering fans outside the team’s practice facility and was in a helmet and pads less than 90 minutes later. His red practice jersey was the familiar No. 4, the same number he wore for years with his now-rival Green Bay Packers.
Coach Brad Childress, who greeted the Favres at the airport, had confirmed the planned meeting in an early Tuesday e-mail to The Associated Press. Asked if the plan was to sign Favre, Childress replied: “In a perfect world.”
Childress’ wish came true shortly afterward, when the Vikings announced the signing.
The day’s developments and Favre’s arrival were a surreal tableau, with a throng of fans who somehow learned early on of Favre’s deal with the Vikings and ran alongside the SUV as it arrived at the Vikings’ practice site from the airport, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, with a lone police officer trying to maintain order.
ESPN analyst Cris Carter reported that Childress already has told the Vikings that Favre would be starting in Friday night’s preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
