Jalen Hurts skips Philadelphia Eagles' White House festivities as Donald Trump endorses the 'bottom pushing' approach
Revamped Article:
In stark contrast to seven years past, the victorious Philadelphia Eagles hooted and hollered their Super Bowl triumph at the White House with President Donald Trump this week. The team trotted off to D.C. for their traditional championship victory parade, snapping selfies with the POTUS, gifting him an Eagles jersey adorned with "Trump 47", and basking in the accolades on the South Lawn after crushing the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX back in February.
Yet, the team's MVP, quarterback Jalen Hurts, was a no-show due to a "scheduling conflict", as confirmed by a White House spokesperson. Last week, Hurts had evaded a question regarding whether he would personally celebrate the team's Super Bowl victory at the White House. At the 2025 TIME 100 gala in New York City, Hurts played coy when asked about the upcoming celebration, stuttering and looking around before concluding the interview.
President Trump lauded Hurts during the White House meet, calling him a "great guy and a fantastic player" while crediting the Eagles as an "extraordinary squad, an outstanding unit."
It seems that several other key members of the Eagles team were also AWOL, with reports suggesting the absence of wide receivers AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith, linebacker Zack Baun, defensive ends Brandon Graham and Josh Sweat, and defensive tackle Jalen Carter were among them.
During Trump's first term as POTUS, the Eagles opted not to celebrate their first Super Bowl win at the White House, prompting a fury of criticism from Trump. He falsely claimed the Eagles had taken a knee during the National Anthem that year and publicly shamed the team for other perceived disrespect.
During their time in D.C., the Eagles also paid a visit to Arlington National Cemetery, where they laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Team owner Jeffrey Lurie expressed heartfelt sentiments in a statement: "Our trip to our nation's capital served as a powerful reminder of the shared values that have bonded our team so closely - self-sacrifice, camaraderie, and commitment."
One player present was Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, who had been spotted with Trump over the weekend. The pair got off Marine One in New Jersey and hit the greens at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster. Barkley faced backlash on social media for his choice to golf and meet with Trump but clapped back, stating, "Some people are really peeved off because I golfed and flew to the White House with the POTUS. I just respect the position, not a difficult concept to grasp. I played golf with Obama not long ago and am looking forward to wrapping up my round with Trump!"
During the White House festivities, Trump expressed his support for the "Tush Push" play, which the Eagles have popularized but may face a ban later this year by NFL owners. The divisive play has sparked controversy across the league, but teams will soon vote on whether it should remain allowed after a motion was tabled to remove it. And Trump said he's on board with keeping it: "I hope they keep that play, Coach (Nick Sirianni). They're discussing banning it, I understand. They should keep it. I like it. It's kinda fun and unique."
After Trump spoke, Eagles head coach Sirianni responded: "Thank you, Mr. President, for having us here. And we're also grateful for the endorsement for the tush push."
- Jalen Hurts, the MVP of the Philadelphia Eagles, was not present at the White House celebration, citing a "scheduling conflict".
- Apart from Jalen Hurts, other key members of the Philadelphia Eagles team, including AJ Brown, DeVonta Smith, Zack Baun, Brandon Graham, Josh Sweat, and Jalen Carter, also seemed to have skipped the event.
- Saquon Barkley, a running back for the Philadelphia Eagles, was present at the White House celebration and defended his decision to golf with and meet President Trump, stating that he respects the position.
- President Trump expressed his support for the "Tush Push" play, which the Philadelphia Eagles have popularized, during the White House celebration.
- Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni thanked President Trump for having the team at the White House and for his endorsement of the "Tush Push" play.
