At least 3 Philadelphia Eagles players say they won’t be on the team plane when the Super Bowl champions Eagles fly to Washington, D.C. to visit the White House.
Malcom Jenkins, Torrey Smith and Chris Long have confirmed they do not plan to visit the White House because President Donald Trump lives there.
It is standard tradition for championship sports teams to visit the nation’s capital to meet with the president of the United States after a big win.
But many NFL players are still heated at Trump for referring to Colin Kaepernick and other players as “sons of b-tches” for kneeling during the national anthem.
“Nah, I personally do not anticipate attending,” Jenkins told CNN on Monday.
Smith, who raised his fist during the national anthem in the regular season, also said he won’t be on the team plane.
And Long made his decision clear even before the Super Bowl kickoff on Sunday. “No, I’m not going to the White House. Are you kidding me,” Long said.
“My son grow up, and I don’t want him to say, ‘Hey Dad, why’d you go when you knew the right thing was not to go.'”
Trump put his animosity toward the NFL aside to congratulate the team for upsetting Tom Brady and the New England Patriots on Sunday in Minneapolis.
“Congratulations to the Philadelphia Eagles on a great Super Bowl victory!” Trump tweeted on Monday.
No player on either team kneeled or raised their fists during Super Bowl LII.
