Picture this: an underdog football team from Philly, hoisting the Lombardi Trophy twice in seven years, their journey as gritty as a cheesesteak smothered in Whiz. But like any good sports saga, the Philadelphia Eagles\u2019 story isn\u2019t just about touchdowns. It\u2019s about politics, pride, and a presidential invite that\u2019s become as unpredictable as a fourth-quarter fumble. Enter Donald Trump, a figure who\u2019s tackled everything from trade wars to Twitter feuds\u2014and now, round two with the Eagles.<\/p>\n
On February 25, Trump announced plans to invite the Eagles to the White House after their Super Bowl LIX win. \u201cThey deserve to be down here, and we hope to see them.\u201d<\/em> he said, flashing his trademark confidence. The gesture comes seven years after a canceled 2018 visit. Why?<\/p>\n Trump scrapped the event amid anthem protest tensions. This time, the stakes feel higher. Will the Eagles RSVP\u2014or replay history?<\/p>\n Back in 2018, only a handful of Eagles players planned to attend. Trump nixed the visit, opting instead for a \u201cCelebration of the American flag\u201d<\/em> with fans. Fast-forward to 2025: rumors swirled that the team would decline again. The U.S. Sun<\/em> cited anonymous sources claiming the Eagles \u201cwouldn\u2019t go.\u201d <\/em>But what did they say exactly?<\/p>\n \u201cWe focus on the game for now, but if we win the Super Bowl, we wouldn\u2019t go to the White House,\u201d <\/em>the source apparently claimed. But NFL insiders and other news outlets quickly countered.<\/p>\n President Trump says he will officially be inviting the #Eagles<\/a> to the White House today. \u201cI thought it was a great performance.. They will absolutely be invited. They deserve to be down here, and we hope to see them.\u201d pic.twitter.com\/2k8OlPFV32<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Eagles Nation (@PHLEaglesNation) February 25, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \u201cWe\u2019d be honored to visit the White House,\u201d<\/em> an Eagles source told CNN<\/em>. Besides,\u00a0Trump\u2019s latest invite feels like a Hail Mary pass across party lines.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019ll be extended that invitation. We\u2019ll do it right away, we\u2019re gonna do it sometime today, and they deserve to be down here. We hope to see them,\u201d<\/em> he declared, though no formal invitation had been sent by week\u2019s end. Meanwhile, Eagles fans debated online\u2014some craving a bipartisan photo op, others recalling 2018\u2019s snub.<\/p>\n The drama\u2019s juicier than a slow-cooked pork sandwich at a tailgate. But why does this matter?<\/p>\n Because in America, sports and politics collide harder than linebackers. The Eagles\u2019 decision isn\u2019t just about a trophy tour\u2014it\u2019s a litmus test for unity in a divided era. However, Presidential invites for champions are as American as apple pie\u2014until they\u2019re not…<\/p>\n Under Trump, only the 2017 Patriots <\/a>visited. NBA’s Golden State Warriors were uninvited in 2017 after Steph Curry\u2019s hesitation. Even Larry Bird snubbed Reagan in 1984, quipping, \u201cIf the president wants to see me, he knows where to find me.\u201d\u00a0<\/em>Besides, these visits have a political undercurrent, whether you go or not.<\/p>\n Trump\u2019s 2018 fast-food feast for Clemson’s football team\u2014a pile of burgers during a government shutdown\u2014showed his flair for spectacle. Now, the Eagles\u2019 White House shenanigans echo beyond sports. And despite the noise, Philly seems ready to pivot.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s one of the things we had looked forward to doing and we look forward to receiving the invitation,\u201d<\/em> their source reiterated. Trump\u2019s olive branch, paired with the team\u2019s openness, hints at d\u00e9tente\u2014or at least a photo op. But the plot thickens…<\/p>\n On February 27, Chiefs<\/a> kicker Harrison Butker<\/a>\u2014a Trump ally\u2014visited the Oval Office before the Philadelphia Eagles. Ironic? Sure. Fitting? Absolutely. In politics, as in football, timing is everything. And the Philadelphia Eagles\u2019 White House saga blends legacy, loyalty, and the weight of a jersey.<\/p>\n From 2018\u2019s canceled ceremony to 2025\u2019s cautious optimism, it\u2019s a tale of second chances\u2014and America\u2019s culture wars. Whether they pose with Trump or pass, one thing\u2019s clear: In Philly, grit isn\u2019t just for the gridiron.<\/p>\n As Hemingway wrote, \u201cThe world breaks everyone, and afterward, many are strong at the broken places.\u201d<\/em> For the Philadelphia Eagles, strength means navigating pride, politics, and the pursuit of a united front. Touchdown or fumble? History will decide.<\/p>\n Main Photo: William Bretzger-Del – Imagn Images<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Picture this: an underdog football team from Philly, hoisting the Lombardi Trophy twice in seven years, their journey as gritty as a cheesesteak smothered in Whiz. But like any good sports saga, the Philadelphia Eagles\u2019 story isn\u2019t just about touchdowns. It\u2019s about politics, pride, and a presidential invite that\u2019s become as unpredictable as a fourth-quarter […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5474,"featured_media":220375,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[21,36],"tags":[3265,246,7393],"class_list":["post-219945","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-eagles","category-nfl-news","tag-harrison-butker","tag-nfl-news","tag-philadelphia-eagles-news"],"modified_by":"David Latham, Managing Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/219945","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5474"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=219945"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/219945\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":220376,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/219945\/revisions\/220376"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/220375"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=219945"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=219945"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=219945"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}The 2018 Snub: A Touchdown Turned Political Fumble<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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A Tradition Tested: Eagles, Politics, and the Presidential Invite<\/strong><\/h2>\n