The Eagles And The White House: A Complex History Of Snubs, Celebrations, And Political Touchdowns

The relationship between the Philadelphia Eagles and the White House remains one of the most politically charged and controversial traditions in American sports. As of late December 2025, the team's most recent interaction—a celebration for their Super Bowl LIX victory over the Kansas City Chiefs—has once again ignited a national debate, continuing a dramatic saga that began with a high-profile cancellation years earlier. The team's choice to attend, and which key players chose to skip, is a story of football, politics, and the enduring social consciousness of a modern NFL franchise.

The 2025 visit, held in the spring months following their championship win, saw a significant portion of the roster attend the ceremony with President Donald Trump, yet several of the team's most prominent stars were conspicuously absent. This repeated pattern of selective attendance underscores the deep divisions and personal convictions within the organization, making the traditional White House visit a fraught political decision rather than a simple celebratory tradition.

The Philadelphia Eagles' White House History: A Timeline of Controversy and Attendance

The Eagles' history with the White House is defined by two major events, both involving a Super Bowl victory and political tension. The contrast between the 2018 cancellation and the 2025 selective attendance provides a clear picture of the team's evolving stance on political engagement.

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The 2018 Super Bowl LII Cancellation: The Anthem Dispute

The first major flashpoint occurred in 2018 following the Eagles' Super Bowl LII victory over the New England Patriots. The team was scheduled to visit the White House to be honored by then-President Donald Trump. However, the visit was abruptly canceled by the President just a day before the scheduled ceremony.

• The Core Issue: The cancellation was explicitly linked to the ongoing controversy surrounding NFL players kneeling during the National Anthem to protest racial injustice and police brutality.
• Player Stance: Reports indicated that a majority of the team, including key players, planned to skip the event, leading President Trump to withdraw the invitation entirely.
• Key Entity: All-Pro center Jason Kelce, a vocal leader, was among those who expressed strong feelings about the political divisions the situation highlighted, emphasizing the need for unity despite the controversy.
• The Result: The event was turned into a "Celebration of America" featuring the U.S. Marine Band, rather than a team ceremony.

This "snub" set a powerful precedent, establishing the Eagles as a team willing to prioritize social issues over a traditional honor, and creating a strong political identity for the franchise.

The 2025 Super Bowl LIX Celebration: Selective Attendance and 'Scheduling Conflicts'

The second major event took place in April 2025, after the Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX. This time, the team officially accepted the invitation to visit the White House and President Trump. The ceremony, however, was immediately overshadowed by the list of star players who chose not to attend.

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The official reason provided for the notable absences was "scheduling conflicts," a phrase that has become a common euphemism for political boycotts in the world of professional sports.

Notable Eagles Players Who Skipped the 2025 Visit

The list of players who chose to skip the 2025 White House visit included some of the team's most high-profile and influential figures. Their absence was a clear statement that the political climate surrounding the event remained a divisive factor.

• Jalen Hurts (Quarterback): As the team's Super Bowl MVP and franchise quarterback, Hurts' absence was the most significant. He reportedly cited "scheduling conflicts" for his decision, a move that echoed the political nature of the 2018 event.
• A.J. Brown (Wide Receiver): The team's top wideout, Brown was confirmed to be skipping the event.
• DeVonta Smith (Wide Receiver): Another key offensive star who opted out of the celebration.
• Other Notable Absentees: The list of non-attendees included at least 14 players, demonstrating a significant portion of the roster chose not to participate in the political ceremony.

Key Entities Who Attended the 2025 Visit

Despite the high-profile snubs, a large contingent of the organization did attend, including a mix of veterans, new acquisitions, and staff.

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• Saquon Barkley (Running Back): A major off-season acquisition, Barkley was among the players seen at the White House.
• Dallas Goedert (Tight End): A veteran leader and key offensive weapon.
• "Big Dom" DiSandro: The Eagles' well-known Senior Advisor to the General Manager and Chief Security Officer, who was notably recognized by President Trump during the ceremony.
• Jeffrey Lurie (Owner): The team's owner and CEO, who has often navigated the team's political waters, was present.
• Nick Sirianni (Head Coach): The head coach who led the team to the Super Bowl LIX victory.
• Other Players: Will Shipley, Grant Calcaterra, and C.J. were among the other players listed as attending.

The event itself was described as a celebration honoring the team's "dominant win over the Kansas City Chiefs," with President Trump praising the organization and its achievement.

The Enduring Political Divide: Eagles and the National Stage

The saga of the Philadelphia Eagles and the White House is a microcosm of the intersection between sports and American politics. The team's decision-making process—first the mass boycott in 2018 that led to a cancellation, and then the selective attendance in 2025—illustrates the increasing pressure on professional athletes to take public stands on social and political issues.

The 2025 visit was notably preceded by a trip to Arlington National Cemetery, an organization-wide gesture to honor men and women who served the country. This two-part trip—a solemn, unifying visit to Arlington followed by the politically charged White House ceremony—allowed the organization to show respect for service while giving players the freedom to opt out of the political event.

For many fans and commentators, the selective attendance in 2025 was a more nuanced, yet equally powerful, form of protest than the outright cancellation of 2018. By having their biggest stars skip the event, the Eagles organization allowed the tradition to continue while simultaneously signaling that the political climate had not changed enough to warrant the full participation of the team's most influential voices.

The LSI Context: National Anthem, Social Justice, and the NFL

The "Philadelphia Eagles White House" narrative is deeply intertwined with several LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing) keywords that speak to broader cultural issues:

• National Anthem Dispute: The root cause of the 2018 cancellation, which remains a key context for all subsequent visits.
• Eagles White House Snub: A term used to describe both the 2018 cancellation and the high-profile player absences in 2025.
• Political Stunt: The language used by critics and some players to describe the White House invitation itself.
• Super Bowl LII Cancellation: The historical precedent that defines the Eagles' relationship with the presidency.
• Arlington National Cemetery: The counter-event used by the team to focus on non-political service and unity.

Ultimately, the Philadelphia Eagles have cemented their place as a franchise that is unafraid to confront the political realities of the moment. Their visits—or lack thereof—to the White House are not merely footnotes in their Super Bowl history but significant cultural moments that reflect the ongoing conversation about social justice, patriotism, and the role of athletes in modern America.