Any major sports winner going to the White House has been a tradition as old as time. However, this year, there was a lot of controversy surrounding an appearance by the Philadelphia Eagles to meet the President of the United States of America.
After weeks of uncertainty, we finally have an official verdict. Thanks to an official spokesperson for the team, the Eagles confirmed their decision. More than a month after their 40-22 dominance of the Kansas City Chiefs, the move felt long overdue.
Are the Philadelphia Eagles Going to the White House To Meet Donald Trump?
A first-half whiteout paved the way for a dominant showing at the Caesars Superdome in Super Bowl 59. Quarterback Jalen Hurts walked home with the Super Bowl MVP as the Eagles became World Champions for the second time in nearly a decade.
However, after a month-long speculation, their appearance at the White House became official. CBS reported the news, stating that the team enthusiastically accepted the invitation. “An Eagles spokesperson confirmed the invitation and said the team is working with the White House on scheduling a date and logistics.”
After their victory, it was President Donald Trump who first confirmed that he was going to invite the team to the White House. At the time, it wasn’t clear whether the team would be making the trip or not.
“They will be; we haven’t yet, but we will be,” Mr. Trump said last month. “I thought it was a great performance by them. Absolutely, they’ll be extended that invitation… We’ll do that right away. We’re going to do it sometime today. They deserve to be down here, and we hope to see them.”
After initial reports suggested that Eagles players did not want to make the trip, a second report from Albert Breer put that notion to bed. Instead, a report from POLITICO confirmed that Philadelphia was looking forward to the invitation.
“A White House official granted anonymity to discuss the ongoing talks confirmed to POLITICO that the report is false, and that the team had not rejected an invitation,” POLITICO reported. “The White House has not sent an official invitation to the Super Bowl LIX winner, the official confirmed.”
“We would be honored to visit the White House,” a team source told SI’s Albert Breer. “It’s one of the things we had looked forward to doing, and we look forward to receiving the invitation.”
A tradition that began in 1979, nearly 50 years ago, will continue this summer with the Eagles coming to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue to meet the President in a time-honored classic.