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Trump Responds To Super Bowl MVP Skipping White House Visit

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Philadelphia Eagles
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Super Bowl winning quarterback Jalen Hurts was noticeably missing in action on Monday when the Philadelphia Eagles celebrated their championship with President Donald Trump at the White House.

While the team gathered to commemorate their NFL victory, the Super Bowl MVP, along with several other star players, did not attend the event.

President Trump welcomed the team with high praise as Eagles fans decked out in green flooded the White House lawn.

He specifically acknowledged the offensive and defensive lines and coach Nick Sirianni for their efforts.

“We’ve seen a lot of great teams, but they don’t ever get to where you’ve already gotten. And you’re a young guy, coach. I’d like to be his manager right now. Pick up my little 10 percent for doing nothing,” Trump joked, drawing laughter from the crowd.

The president concluded his remarks with a spirited, “Let me just say, fly, Eagles fly!”

While the scene was celebratory, notable absences were hard to ignore.

According to a report from NBC News, Hurts, along with wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, safety CJ Gardner-Johnson, and cornerback Darius Slay, were absent allegedly due to scheduling conflicts.

Hints about Hurts’ potential decision surfaced last week when he was asked by Time about attending the event.

When questioned, Hurts simply replied, “Erm,” before falling silent, an awkward moment that quickly ended the interview.

During the event, Trump didn’t seem to harbor any hurt feelings about the quarterback’s absence.

“Complementing Saquon’s historic season was an incredible year for a star quarterback Jalen Hurts,” Trump said to the Eagles’ fans in the crowd.

“He really played, he had a great season and a great game. Finished with 32 [combined passing and rushing] touchdowns on the year, turning in one stellar performance after another, terrific guy.”

Meanwhile, Eagles running back Saquon Barkley faced backlash online after being seen golfing with President Trump in New Jersey over the weekend. Barkley, however, shrugged off the criticism.

“lol some people are really upset cause I played golfed and flew to the White House with the PRESIDENT. Maybe I just respect the office, not a hard concept to understand,” Barkley wrote on X.

He pointed out that he had previously golfed with former President Obama and would gladly finish a round with Trump, telling critics to “have [an] amazing day.”

The online attacks continued despite Barkley’s efforts to defuse the situation.

Some critics harshly condemned him, with one writing, “You’re literally being obtuse as to why people are upset. Trump is not a normal president. Get a f**king grip you idiot.”

Another user went so far as to ask, “Would you laugh and joke about playing golf with Hitler?”

During Monday’s ceremony, Trump fondly recalled the golf outing with Barkley, sharing that he even offered the NFL star a ride aboard Air Force One.

“We loved being together,” Trump said, calling Barkley “a great young guy and an incredible football player.”

“He’s a handsome guy, but I wouldn’t want to tackle him,” he added.

Trump also recounted a conversation he claimed to have had with members of the New York Giants’ leadership.

“I was with the Giants and the head coach [Brian Daboll] and some people and I said, ‘Do anything you have to, but don’t lose Saquon,'” Trump said.

That comment did not sit well with Giants spokesman Pat Hanlon, who told The Daily Mail that “there were no conversations” between the team and the president.

Hanlon posted a pointed response on X, writing, “With all due respect, stop yapping. Be the leader we all want you to be. And my 401K wants you to be. I’m trying to retire!!”

Among the players attending the event, Eagles cornerback Eli Ricks couldn’t resist sharing his impression of Ivanka Trump, who was present.

“Donald trump daughter is beautiful damn,” Ricks posted on X. “After seeing her in person Ivanka is exactly my type,” he added.

The Eagles’ visit came after their Super Bowl victory over the Kansas City Chiefs back in February.

President Trump, who attended the game in New Orleans, had predicted a Chiefs win but made clear beforehand that he was “a big fan of both teams.”

Recalling the championship game during Monday’s event, Trump joked, “I was there along with Taylor Swift, how did that one work out?”

Swift, who is currently romantically involved with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, publicly endorsed former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, positioning herself against Trump.

According to Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, the Eagles “enthusiastically accepted” the White House invitation this year.

This marks a notable change from 2018, when Trump rescinded a similar invitation to the team during his first term over players’ protests during the national anthem.

Watch the full ceremony at the White House here:

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