Morning Briefing: This Nick Bosa endorsement trumps all others

President Trump is interested in the NFL again. Well, not in the NFL as much as one part of it. OK, not really a part of it, but just one player.

After the San Francisco 49ers made Nick Bosa the No. 2 overall pick in the draft last week, Trump tweeted out congratulations to him on Saturday, saying “Congratulations to Nick Bosa on being picked number two in the NFL Draft. You will be a great player for years to come, maybe one of the best. Big Talent! San Francisco will embrace you but most importantly, always stay true to yourself. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

I’m not sure how Nick Bosa getting chosen second overall is part of Make America Great Again, but let’s overlook that for now, much like Trump overlooked congratulating Kyler Murray for being chosen first overall.

Bosa, who was a defensive end for Ohio State, has been a public supporter of Trump on Twitter. He also once called Colin Kaepernick a clown for his protests involving the national anthem. That tweet, and several others, have since been deleted and Bosa has apologized for it numerous times.

Familiar face

When Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson looks over his receivers during games this season, he might start to feel a little old. Because Gary Jennings, Seattle’s fourth-round pick out of West Virginia, has a special connection to Wilson.

“I went to Collegiate K through 8, and he was in high school at the time,” Jennings recalled Saturday on a conference call. “It was a K-through-12 school. Growing up in that school, I used to see him play quarterback. He was an amazing quarterback back in the day. I saw him run back and forth across the field, and someone was always wide open. They basically won state every year he was there.”

Jennings was in fourth grade when he played on a youth basketball team (along with Wilson’s sister, Anna) that was coached by Wilson and Wilson’s father, Harrison.

“It was YMCA, so I don’t know if it was that competitive,” Jennings said. “We couldn’t even press, I don’t think. It was cool because he was a star player at the school, and he had a chance to be able to coach.”

Wilson mentioned their past connection after Jennings was chosen in the draft, saying on Twitter: “Gary!!! What’s crazy is how God works! From my dad and I coaching you and my sister in basketball when y’all were young and us all going to the same school together to now! What a blessing! #GoHawks

Beer me

Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon has found a career to fall back on in case this whole running-a-baseball-team thing doesn’t work out.

He has helped develop a beer.

The beer, called “Try Not To Suck” is a German style helles lager. I have no idea what that means, which is OK because the beer is available only in the Chicago area.

Proceeds from the sale of the beer will go to Rags of Honor 1, a Chicago-based nonprofit that helps homeless veterans. Rags of Honor 1 founder Mark Doyle hopes the charity can establish its own brewery, RnR Brews, that will be fully staffed by veterans.

“With the way the microbreweries are these days and how popular different brews are today, I thought it would be a natural fit,” Maddon said. “And from the beer drinker and fan’s perspective, everyone likes new and different beers to try out.”