The Philadelphia Eagles soared to glory in Super Bowl LIX, overpowering the Kansas City Chiefs with a commanding 40-22 victory to claim the championship. It was the team’s second Super Bowl win, the first in 2017 against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII.
Super Bowl LIX, which was held on Feb. 9, 2025, made history as the first Super Bowl ever attended by a sitting U.S. president. President Donald Trump predicted the Chiefs to win, praising quarterback Patrick Mahomes, saying, “I guess you have to say that when a quarterback wins as much as he’s won, I have to go with Kansas City. At the same time, Philadelphia is just fantastic.” His prediction didn’t pan out, and he wasn’t even there to witness the Eagles’ victory; he left before the fourth quarter began due to logistical and security concerns.
As is custom, teams from various sports are invited to the White House — a tradition that began in 1865 when President Andrew Johnson invited amateur baseball teams the Brooklyn Atlantics and Washington Nationals to the POTUS’ official residence. The former had just won the championship, while the latter was invited because Johnson was a big fan. It wasn’t until 1980, under Jimmy Carter’s administration, that Super Bowl champions were invited to the White House.
Did the Philadelphia Eagles go to the White House after their first Super Bowl win?
The Philadelphia Eagles Football Team was invited to the White House. Unfortunately, only a small number of players decided to come, and we canceled the event. Staying in the Locker Room for the playing of our National Anthem is as disrespectful to our country as kneeling. Sorry!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 5, 2018
Trump extended an invitation to the Philadelphia Eagles to visit the White House after their first Super Bowl win. However, several of the team’s players refused to attend the event, including, Malcolm Jenkins, Chris Long, and Torrey Smith. Two years, prior, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the national anthem at a pre-season game as a peaceful protest against racial injustice and police brutality. Several NFL players followed suit in solidarity, which sparked controversy.
Trump has been vocal about his opinion on the matter, addressing Kaepernick’s gesture by saying, “I think it’s a terrible thing, and you know, maybe he should find a country that works better for him. Let him try, it won’t happen.” He also called for sanctions to be imposed on players who knelt during the anthem and asked the NFL commissioner to kick players from the game or for an entire season without pay. As a result, a majority of the Eagles players decided not to attend the event after they won the Super Bowl in 2018. Trump took to social media to say that since only “a small number of players” wanted to go, he canceled the event altogether.
After winning their second Super Bowl, Philadelphia Eagles players will reportedly vote as a team on whether to attend the customary White House visit. Eagles captain Lane Johnson said after their win that he would be “honored” to attend “regardless of who the president is,” but the decision will ultimately come from the entire team. “I’ll do what’s best for the team,” he added. Tom Knecht, a political science professor, said that the White House visit has become a “double-edged” sword. “How many times do you get to go visit the White House, and represent your team? But also you have your own political values to think of,” he told USA Today.
There’s no official word from Trump on inviting the Eagles to the White House, and the team has yet to say whether they would accept if asked.
Published: Feb 16, 2025 11:46 am