NEW: Beloved GOP Congressman Won’t Seek Re-Election

Rep. Burgess Owens, the former NFL safety who rode a conservative wave into Congress, announced Wednesday he will not seek re-election in 2026, ending a six-year run on Capitol Hill.

Owens, 74, said he will serve out the rest of his term before stepping away from elected office while helping Republicans protect their razor-thin House majority.

“After prayer, reflection, and many long conversations, I have decided that I will not seek reelection in 2026. I will complete this term fully committed to my work in Washington, D.C., and then step away from elected office,” Owens said.

His departure comes as a court-ordered redistricting overhaul scrambles Utah’s congressional map and forces the state’s four Republican House members to compete for just three seats in the next election cycle.

A state judge approved the new map last year, redrawing district boundaries across the state. Owens and other Republicans sued to stop it, but both state and federal courts rejected the challenge, ruling it was too late to change the lines ahead of the 2026 elections.

Owens first captured the Salt Lake County-based district in 2020 when he narrowly defeated Democratic Rep. Ben McAdams, flipping one of the most competitive seats in the state. He held the district again in 2022 and is now serving his third term.

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Before entering politics, Owens built a career in professional football, playing safety for the New York Jets before winning a Super Bowl with the Oakland Raiders in 1980.

Since arriving in Washington, Owens has been a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump and has described the Republican leader as “an advocate for Black Americans.”

Owens said his political career began with a focus on education and helping vulnerable children.

“I began this political journey over six years ago with a simple question: Can I do more to advocate for our at-risk children?” Owens wrote.

During his time in Congress, Owens pushed school choice policies and said he introduced and sponsored “landmark school choice legislation,” with key provisions later included in the Working Families Tax Cut Act reconciliation package.

He also pointed to his work targeting child trafficking, saying he is “presently shepherding bipartisan, bicameral legislation through the House — the Preventing Child Trafficking Act,” which he said would improve coordination between federal agencies.

Owens cast his time in office as closely aligned with Trump’s agenda.

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“I came to Congress with a simple ask from my constituents: to represent Utah’s nation-leading culture of faith, family, the free market, and education,” Owens wrote.

“I have been proud to fight alongside President Donald J. Trump, whose leadership exposed the insidious spread of Marxism in our country and who has demonstrated that only a proud, focused, and unapologetic America can defeat it,” he said. “His commitment to working families and his willingness to confront corruption head-on reaffirm that courage still matters in public life.”

“After careful reflection, I have concluded that to continue this work, the next chapter… would be best pursued outside elected office,” Owens wrote.

Owens said he will spend the rest of his term focused on helping expand the Republican majority in the House before leaving Congress at the end of the term.

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