Jalen Hurts Makes Final Decision on White House Visit
The Philadelphia Eagles visited the White House on April 28 to celebrate their Super Bowl, but not every team member showed up for the ceremony.
Quarterback Jalen Hurts was a confirmed no-show by NBC News White House Correspondent Yamiche Alcindor on X. "A White House official confirms to me that @Eagles quarterback @JalenHurts will not be visiting the White House when the Super Bowl champions come later this afternoon," she wrote. "The White House says Hurts and other players who can’t attend had 'scheduling conflicts.'”
There had been lots of speculation surrounding Hurts' participation on April 24 at the Time100 Gala. On the red carpet, he was asked if he would attend the event at the White House with his teammates. He awkwardly responded, "Umm," and looked away which probably gave fans the answer they expected. The reporter responded, "Got it. Thank you so much" as Hurts walked away.
A White House official confirms to me that @Eagles quarterback @JalenHurts will not be visiting the White House when the Super Bowl champions come later this afternoon. The White House says Hurts and other players who can’t attend had “scheduling conflicts.”
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) April 28, 2025
It's hard to tell if Hurts actually had "scheduling conflicts" or if his decision to stay away from Washington, D.C. was politically motivated. The 26-year-old NFL star was not part of the 2018 Philadelphia Eagles team that declined the invitation after their Super Bowl victory during the current administration's first term.
Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie made it clear during an April 1 press conference that attendance for the players was "optional," per NBC Sports. He added, "If you want to enjoy this, come along and we’ll have a great time and if you don’t, it is totally an optional thing.”
The Eagles are the third sports team to visit the White House after the Los Angeles Dodgers for their fall 2024 World Series win and the Ohio State University football team for their CFP championship.
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