When I read the headline I thought it was referring to THE football. (Briefcase used to authorize release of nuclear weapons.)
This is not an isolated story, there is more to it, and a narrative is being parsed out. The football *is* a metaphor for The Football.
Consider a few days ago, Trump came to Manchester NH, footage shows the limo at the airport. THe camera angle of the limo is setup to highlight the tailgate, with a fortified tailgate within that tailgate, open wide. The scene shows DJT getting in the limo, and some SS-like guy carrying what looks like the nuclear football.