President Trump Gives Former NFL Stars Fresh Start With Clemency Blitz

3:39 PM PT -- We talked to Jamal Lewis about the pardon ... and the story is crazy!

The retired NFL star told Michael J. Babcock he had NO IDEA clemency was an option, so he actually missed the phone call when it came in from Alice Johnson.

Check out the interview with Jamal!

Donald Trump is throwing a lifeline to some former gridiron stars ... signing off on pardons for a handful of ex-NFL players who dominated on the field, but also got tangled up in legal trouble.

The Commander-in-Chief granted clemency on Thursday to five former football standouts, wiping away criminal convictions tied to drug crimes, fraud and other offenses ... framing the move as a shot at redemption long after their playing days ended.

"As football reminds us, excellence is built on grit, grace, and the courage to rise again. So is our nation," White House "pardon czar" Alice Marie Johnson posted to X while thanking Trump for his "continued commitment to second chances."

Among the biggest names included is Jamal Lewis, the former 2,000-yard rusher and NFL Offensive Player of the Year, who pleaded guilty in the 2000s for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy. Lewis managed to return to the field and revive his career -- but the conviction lingered on his record until now.

Also receiving a pardon is former Pro Bowl running back Travis Henry. The ex-Buffalo Bills and Denver Broncos star served prison time after federal authorities said he financed a cocaine distribution operation following his NFL career.

Trump’s clemency list also included Nate Newton -- a three-time Super Bowl champ offensive lineman for the Dallas Cowboys dynasty of the 1990s -- who served time after getting caught in a major marijuana trafficking case.

Next is New York Jets legend and Hall of Fame defensive lineman Joe Klecko ... clearing a decades-old conviction tied to financial misconduct earlier in his life.

Rounding out the bunch is Billy Cannon, who received a posthumous pardon. Cannon -- a Heisman Trophy winner and Houston Oilers star -- served time after being convicted for his role in a counterfeiting scheme that rocked the sports world.

The White House says the pardons recognize the players’ efforts to turn their lives around ... pointing to their community contributions and lasting football legacies as reasons for the clemency decisions.

Presidential pardons involving athletes aren’t exactly new -- but bundling multiple former NFL names into one clemency move is definitely sparking buzz across the sports landscape.