SPORTS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Several Philadelphia Eagles players will skip out on any White House celebration this year following their first-ever Super Bowl win Sunday [2-4-18].
Wide receiver Torrey Smith, defensive end Chris Long and safety Malcolm Jenkins have all said they will not attend if the traditional presidential invitation is extended…
Last year, several Patriots players skipped the White House celebration after that team won the Super Bowl, including Tom Brady; he had also missed a White House visit under former President Barack Obama…
Trump has blasted players who have taken a knee during the national anthem as a sign of protest and to call attention to racial injustice in America. Prior to the Super Bowl, the president released a statement to honor service members and to remind players to stand for the national anthem.
‘Congratulations to the Philadelphia Eagles on a great Super Bowl victory!’ the president wrote in a tweet after Sunday’s game.
Long, who played last year for the Patriots and skipped the trip then, also said before the game that he would not make the visit if his new team won this year.”
-Rebecca Morin, “Several Eagles players plan to skip White House visit,” Politico, Feb. 5, 2018 09:18am