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Eagles' Pederson: White House visit 'individual decision'

By The Sports Xchange
Philadelphia Eagles coach Doug Pederson speaks to the media at the Super Bowl LII press conference in January. Photo by Kamil Krzaczynski/UPI
Philadelphia Eagles coach Doug Pederson speaks to the media at the Super Bowl LII press conference in January. Photo by Kamil Krzaczynski/UPI | License Photo

Head coach Doug Pederson told reporters on Tuesday that the Philadelphia Eagles will visit The White House next month to celebrate their Super Bowl LII championship victory over the New England Patriots.

"We're excited to be going," Pederson told reporters. "At the same time, it's an individual decision (for the players)."

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Last week, White House deputy press secretary Lindsay Walters confirmed that the Eagles had been invited to attend a celebration at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

"President Trump looks forward to welcoming the Philadelphia Eagles to the White House on June 5 to celebrate their Super Bowl LII win," Walters said in a statement.

White House invitations haven't always been accepted since President Donald Trump has taken office. The NBA's Golden State Warriors were "uninvited" by the President in response to comments made by guard Stephen Curry, but the Houston Astros accepted an invitation to celebrate their World Series championship.

As for the Eagles, quarterback Carson Wentz told Les Bowen of Philly.com that he will follow the team's path on whether to attend the visit.

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"If the team decides as a whole, I will go to the White House. I don't view it as a political thing, I know some people do," he said, per Bowen.

Safety Malcolm Jenkins told CNN following the Super Bowl that he plans to skip the visit while defensive lineman Chris Long said on the "Pardon My Take" podcast, "No, I'm not going to the White House. Are you kidding me?"

The New York Times reported in April that Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie was critical of Trump during a confidential emergency NFL meeting last fall to discuss player protests during the national anthem.

"Another fact I want to throw out there: Many of us have no interest in supporting President Trump," Lurie said, per the newspaper. "Yes, there are some. There are some players who do, too. But this is not where you brandish a group of people because they own assets in a sport we love, supporting what many of us perceive as, you know, one disastrous presidency."

Trump's position earlier last season unified more NFL players to protest before or during the anthem. He said during a political rally in Huntsville, Ala., on Sept. 22 that NFL owners should fire the players who knelt during the anthem.

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"We're proud of our country. We respect our flag," Trump said to loud applause at the campaign event in Alabama. "Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, 'Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out. He's fired! He's fired!'"

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