Eagles Malcolm Jenkins, Chris Long and Torrey Smith Will Skip White House Visit
The Eagles won their first Super Bowl in franchise history when they knocked off the Patriots 41-33 in Super Bowl LII.
As part of the traditional Super Bowl celebration, Philadelphia is expected to receive an invitation to the White House to visit Donald Trump. Some members of the team though have already let it be known that they will not be attending the trip.
Defensive end Chris Long said he planned to skip the trip last week on Pardon My Take. Long also skipped the visit last year when he was a member of the Patriots. On the Wednesday before the Super Bowl wide receiver Torrey Smith told reporters that he would skip the trip if the Eagles came up victorious in the game. On Monday, safety Malcolm Jenkins joined those two when he announced he would boycott the trip during an interview on CNN's New Day.
This is not much of a surprise considering the actions and comments these men have made in the past when it comes to social justice and Trump. Jenkins and Smith were part of a group of four that sent a memo to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell in 2017 asking for the league to take a more active approach in supporting players' social activism. Long donated his entire salary this season to various educational causes including funding a scholarship in his hometown Charlottesville, Va., and has been critical of Trump at various times throughout his presidency. Jenkins also spent most of the season raising a fist during the national anthem as a sign of protest against police brutality and racial injustice, and Long placed a hand on Jenkins' shoulder as a sign of support.
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Trump congratulated the Eagles on their Super Bowl win, but it seems unlikely that this move will have any affect on players' decisions to attend the visit.
Last year, about two dozen players on the Patriots skipped the White House visit, including Long and running back LeGarrette Blount, who also joined the Eagles this season.
