Topline
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and some other teammates won’t be visiting the White House on Monday for a celebration of the team’s Super Bowl victory, according to multiple reports, years after a feud between the Eagles and President Donald Trump resulted in most of the team declining to attend an event for their 2018 Super Bowl victory.
Key Facts
The White House told The Philadelphia Inquirer that Hurts and other unnamed players would not be attending the Super Bowl celebration because of “scheduling conflicts,” though the “vast majority of [the] team” would be there.
Hurts, named to Time Magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in 2025, made headlines last week when he responded largely in silence when asked by the publication if he would attend the event and walked away without answering.
Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said earlier this month each player could decide whether to attend, saying “these are optional things” and “if you want to enjoy this, come along and we’ll have a great time, and if you don’t, it is totally an optional thing.”
Lurie, who reportedly criticized Trump during his first presidency, argued it was “just an invitation” from the White House and the team was “not politicizing it in any way.”
Neither the White House nor the Philadelphia Eagles immediately responded to requests for comment.
Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We’re launching text message alerts so you’ll always know the biggest stories shaping the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here.
What To Watch For
The Eagles are scheduled to visit the White House at 4 p.m. EDT on Monday.
Contra
Eagles running back Saquon Barkley was seen with Trump at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, on Sunday. Barkley, who Trump called a “nice guy,” defended his visit with the president, writing on social media, “Maybe I just respect the office, not a hard concept to understand.” Barkley noted he had previously golfed with former President Barack Obama.
Key Background
Trump rescinded an invitation for the Eagles to visit the White House in 2018 and said “only a small number of players decided to come.” The 2018 feud came as Trump criticized players for remaining in the locker room or kneeling while the national anthem played before NFL games as a form of protest against police brutality, and Trump earlier bashed with the league while some players, including former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, continued to kneel. An unnamed Eagles player said at the time the team held meetings about whether to visit the White House, and many indicated they did not want to go, though no players on the team had taken a knee in protest that season. Earlier this year, Trump congratulated the Kansas City Chiefs for making the Super Bowl, but did not offer similar congratulations to the Eagles.
Surprising Fact
Trump in February became the first sitting president to attend the Super Bowl.
Further Reading
Trump Picks Chiefs To Win Super Bowl—And He’s Clashed With The Eagles In The Past (Forbes)
