The Philadelphia Eagles have fun with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after beating the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs 40-22 to win Tremendous Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.

Chris Graythen/Getty Photographs

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Chris Graythen/Getty Photographs

The Philadelphia Eagles secured the coveted Super Bowl victory this week over the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs. However will the profitable crew make the customary go to to the White Home to have fun with President Trump? If history is any indication, probably not.

Not solely did President Trump attend the sport to root for Kansas Metropolis — lavishing reward on crew quarterback Patrick Mahomes — however Trump and the Philadelphia crew share a tense previous.

The final time the Eagles scored a Tremendous Bowl win was in 2018, throughout Trump’s first presidency. That yr, throughout skilled sport organizations, groups have been embroiled in controversy over athletes selecting to kneel through the Nationwide Anthem in protest of systemic racism in America.

Trump was one of the crucial vocal critics towards the protests, calling for athletes who didn’t stand through the anthem to be fired.

Due to his stance, a majority of the 2018 Eagles crew deliberate to boycott the journey to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

Fairly than face being publicly snubbed, Trump disinvited the crew altogether.

“The Philadelphia Eagles Soccer Crew was invited to the White Home,” Trump wrote on X on the time. “Sadly, solely a small variety of gamers determined to return, and we canceled the occasion.”

The optics of a White Home go to — or lack thereof — by both crew, would paint an image of the present dynamics of American politics.

The Tremendous Bowl go to dates again to President Jimmy Carter’s administration and for many years had been considered as a nonpartisan celebration of America’s favourite sport.

However the dynamics have modified in recent times. Whereas it is commonplace for a president to speak sports activities, Trump has bucked conference, publicly castigating gamers with whom he disagrees, whereas additionally adulating these whom he views as politically aligned with him.

Even Trump’s choice to journey to the New Orleans showdown confirmed the shift from conformity. He’s the primary sitting president to ever attend the massive recreation.

And points like NFL athletes kneeling through the Nationwide Anthem and Trump’s public response have highlighted how deeply partisanship has infiltrated even probably the most unifying of American pastimes.

The racial politics of a go to are additionally on show. In a league the place an amazing majority of gamers are Black or minority, Trump’s feedback have usually been perceived as racist, creating static even between the gamers and league management.

Representatives for the Eagles didn’t reply to requests for touch upon whether or not the crew had been invited to the White Home or whether or not they would settle for such an invite.