Former Philadelphia Eagles star quarterback and Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts drew attention when he chose not to attend the White House visit following the team’s Super Bowl victory in April. Hurts was among several Eagles players, including star running back Saquon Barkley, who decided against attending the event. While some players, such as Barkley, did attend alongside the coaching staff, others, including Hurts, opted out, with Hurts stating he was “not available“ at the time.
Former Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb, who has mentored Hurts since joining the team, spoke out in support of Hurts’ decision in an interview with Fox News. McNabb emphasized that the choice was a personal one and that Hurts had the right to focus on preparing for future Super Bowls. “I don’t have a problem with it at all. I agree, I totally agree with him and the decision that he made, it’s a grown man decision, and he stuck with it,” McNabb said. “And for him, his focus again is to get himself ready to possibly get back to another Super Bowl.“
McNabb also suggested that the decision to skip the visit had been deliberate, and that it was a matter of prioritizing professional goals over political or public events. He added that he personally would have made the same choice, highlighting the significance of individual autonomy in such decisions. The Eagles’ decision to not attend the White House in 2018 was also referenced, as the team declined the invitation due to concerns over Trump’s past criticisms of players who had protested during the national anthem.
While the majority of the Eagles’ roster and coaching staff attended the White House visit, Hurts’ absence sparked some fan reactions, particularly given his prominent role as the team’s quarterback. However, McNabb stood by his protégé’s choice, reinforcing the idea that personal and professional priorities should be respected. This incident underscores the evolving relationship between athletes and political figures, as well as the importance of individual agency in high-profile decisions.
Hurts also raised eyebrows again when he attended the Met Gala the following week after missing the White House visit. While the majority of the Eagles’ roster and coaching staff did attend the White House and celebrated with Trump, as well as the president’s daughter, Ivanka, those players included star running back Saquon Barkley.
“It’s everybody’s choice,” McNabb said of the players who went. “You don’t harp on anybody else’s decision of what they made, it’s a decision. It’s a personal decision that he made, for both, for Jalen and for Saquon,” McNabb said.
“And again, after you do your visit or whatever it may be, you get right back to focusing on the task at hand and seeing if you can have that opportunity to be invited back to the White House.“
When the Eagles won the Super Bowl back in 2018, the team decided not to attend the White House. Trump rescinded the invitation to host the Eagles after several players said they would not participate in the visit because of his previous criticisms of national anthem protests.
The Los Angeles Dodgers visited the White House several weeks before the Eagles did, to commemorate their World Series title. Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts, who skipped a visit in 2019 while with the Boston Red Sox, attended this year.
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