Several Eagles Will Not Visit White House After Super Bowl Win

PHILADELPHIA, PA — The Super Bowl champion Eagles will be invited to the White House this year, as per tradition. However, three players have already publicly stated they will not go. Their stated reasons are varied, but center on the same theme: they would not want a visit to be mistaken as tolerance for President Trump.

President Trump has repeatedly criticized the protests that have swept across the NFL this past season as disrespectful to the U.S. flag and the military — which Colin Kaepernick, who launched the movement, says was never the intent. In September, President Trump called on the NFL to fire players who kneel. Many more players, including some Patriots players, took a knee after the president's remarks, but Patriots players haven't kneeled since.

In an interview early Monday morning with CNN, Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins told "New Day" that not attending the White House was all about supporting the social justice issues for which he has advocated.

"No, I personally do not anticipate attending that," Jenkins said. "I'm about creating positive change in the communities that I come from. I want to see changes in our criminal justice system. I want to see us push for economical and educational advancement in communities of color and low-income communities. And I want to see our relationship between our communities and our law enforcement be advanced."

Chris Long, the Eagles defensive end who won the Super Bowl with the Patriots last year and who donated his 2017 salary to charity, said during a Barstool Sports Podcast last week that he would not attend. After winning last year, Long also chose not to visit the White House.

"I don't think I would feel like a real guy if I didn't follow my heart and say, that's just not for me," Long told Ellen Degeneres. "I think people going is fine. That's not an indictment on them for showing up. For me it didn't jive with my personal ideologies and opinions."

Wide receiver Torrey Smith has been vocal in his criticism of President Trump throughout the season, as well as in his support for Colin Kaepernick and the right of players to kneel before games. On Monday morning, Smith tweeted a tongue-in-cheek message for "all of the Trump supporters destroying my mentions saying “You gotta win before you even get invited to the White House."

Smith thought it important to clarify what kneeling means to him.

“They call it the anthem protest," Smith said in a Monday interview with NJ.com. “We’re not protesting the anthem. It’s a protest during the anthem. I understand why people are mad or may be offended when someone takes a knee."

The Eagles Super Bowl victory over the Patriots Sunday was the first in franchise history. A parade has been set for Thursday; details are forthcoming.

RELATED:

• WATCH: Celebrity Fans React To Eagles Super Bowl Win
  
• When Is the Eagles Super Bowl Parade? Details Expected Monday
• WATCH: 'Underdog' Fiona The Hippo Picks Eagles To Win Super Bowl
• 20 Eagles Super Bowl Stories That Will Get You Fired Up
• A Goat Named Brady, A Goat Named Foles? Philly, Boston Zoos Wager
• Vikings Fan Gives Young Eagles Fan Super Bowl Tickets: Report

AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez