Haley Pepper, wife of San Francisco 49ers long snapper Taybor Pepper, has entered the debate over President-elect Donald Trump’s selection of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Health and Human Services Secretary. Trump announced Kennedy’s nomination on Truth Social, which positions Kennedy to oversee key agencies, including the CDC, FDA and National Institutes of Health.
Kennedy, who dropped his independent Presidential campaign to endorse Trump, has claimed that the former President promised him “control of the public health agencies.” The 70-year-old environmental lawyer founded Children’s Health Defense, a leading anti-vaccine organization.
Haley Pepper’s Instagram story mentioned the implications of placing an outspoken vaccine critic at the helm of America’s health institutions:
“Was it too much to ask for a bit more medical freedom for your children, full freedom with your reproductive system, implementing aspects of functional medicine into western medicine and doing all of that without ‘going wild’ with every public health institution in the country?”
The appointment created debates in the medical community and financial markets. CNBC reported that vaccine manufacturers’ stocks dropped following the announcement. Some FDA staffers are reportedly considering departing should Kennedy take office.
Haley Pepper’s critique follows a recent political expression from another 49ers figure. On October 27, defensive star Nick Bosa sparked controversy by wearing a MAGA hat during a post-game interview after defeating the Dallas Cowboys. The NFL fined him $11,255 for violating Rule 5, Section 4, Article 8, which restricts players from displaying personal or political messages.
Bosa dismissed the fine, stating it “was well worth it.” The incident gained attention from Trump himself, who praised Bosa on social media:
“NICK BOSA IS A GREAT PLAYER!”
The defensive end later made headlines again with a Trump-inspired sack dance after taking down Baker Mayfield last Sunday. His teammates encouraged the celebration, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
“I wasn’t even going to do it, but the boys reminded me. And it was fun,” Bosa said.
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan offered a light-hearted perspective on the celebration:
“If you watch them, Leonard Floyd, when Bosa got the sack, Leonard Floyd started doing it, and then Trump did it, I mean, sorry, Bosa did it. And then Sam O did it and then Fred came in at the end and did it. Leonard egged them all on, and then they followed, and it was pretty cool to see.”
From Haley Pepper’s critical stance on health policy to Bosa’s open support of Trump, the intersection of sports and politics continues to generate discussion.
