Donald Trump once nailed 'Million Dollar' football throw on live TV to leave entire stadium stunned

Donald Trump is known to be a keen golfer, but the US president once demonstrated some skills worthy of the NFL.

Trump was in attendance at the Super Bowl back in February, watching on as the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 in New Orleans.

And back in the 1980s, the former star of The Apprentice owned his own football team, the New Jersey Generals of the now-defunct USFL.

But at a celebrity event broadcast on live TV in 1992, Trump could have been mistaken for a quarterback himself.

At StarGaze, an annual charity event held by ex-Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly, Trump was invited to attempt to throw a football through a small target hole approximately 20ft away.

This was a "qualifying throw" ahead of the main event later in the show, in which contestants – including former NFL stars such as Kelly – would be tasked with throwing a ball through a hole only a few inches bigger than a football's circumference placed 30 yards away for the prize of $1 million dollars to be split between the winner and their chosen charity.

Introducing Trump in front of a sizeable crown at Pilot Field – a baseball stadium in Buffalo, New York – former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver and current top NFL commentator Cris Collinsworth said: "I don't care how much money he has, anyone who can get a date with Marla Maples, this is my man, Mr Donald Trump," in reference to Trump's glamorous girlfriend at the time, who accompanied him on stage.

Trump, holding a football, was then asked if he was nervous by former NFL commentator Paul Maguire.

"Nervous as hell," he replied.

"It's only for airline tickets," Maguire said. "You own your own airline, don't you? Do you still own your own airline? They haven't taken that away from you? No? Good" – a jibe at Trump's failing airline venture that was shuttered later that year.

Trump laughed before then tossing the ball through the hole. A man in a referee's uniform is seen indicating that the ball did indeed pass through the small hole and the crowd erupted in amazement.

The future president looked as shocked as everyone else in the arena as he high-fived with everyone on the stage.

"We gotta get a work," Collinsworth broke in. "How did you do this?"

"I don't know," Trump said. "I have no idea. Who says there's not luck in football?"

Trump was less successful with his next throw, however, in the showcase event with the $1 million prize on the line. His attempt fell some way short of the 30-yard target.