Philadelphia Eagles fans will tell you there’s nothing quite like celebrating a Super Bowl victory. Parades down Broad Street, green-and-white confetti, and the eternal glory of being crowned champions — it’s practically a citywide holiday. 

But one tradition that often follows these title runs is the customary visit to the White House. Typically, teams pack up their suits, take a flight down to Washington, D.C., smile politely for the cameras, and chat with the President in a quick ceremony. 

Yet for the 2025 Super Bowl LIX winners, the Philadelphia Eagles, that tradition has sparked quite a media circus — again.

Conflicting Headlines Right After the Big Win

The Eagles squared off against the Kansas City Chiefs and took home a decisive 40–22 victory in Super Bowl LIX. As any Birds fan will happily remind you, this was a game filled with offensive fireworks on their end, a relentless defense, and some "garbage-time" scores that made the final score look even closer than it felt. Not long after the celebrations quieted down (well, “quiet” might be a stretch in Philly), reports emerged suggesting the team had already decided to skip their White House invitation. One outlet, The U.S. Sun, claimed an anonymous Eagles insider leaked that discussions had taken place to turn down a visit with President Donald Trump.

You can imagine how quickly social media lit up. In an era where tweets can be news and news can sometimes feel like wild rumors, this story exploded. 

Some fans were proud, some fans were furious, and plenty of folks both inside and outside Philly had strong opinions. Megyn Kelly even got in on the action, taking to X to blast the Eagles for declining the invite, writing, "GO F YOURSELVES EAGLES."

No Invite Yet, But No Plans to Decline Either

Contrary to the earliest reports, NFL insiders Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport spoke to team sources who insisted the Eagles would be more than happy to make the trip to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue — assuming an official invitation ever came in. Meanwhile, Clay Travis tweeted that the White House confirmed no invitation had been sent, calling the original stories “fake news.” 

At that point, Philly fans just wanted to enjoy the fact that their boys in midnight green had dethroned Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in a game that finally gave Nick Sirianni his first ring as head coach. But instead, they were bombarded with stories about who said what about a trip that, by all accounts, was never officially on the table yet.

The Eagles’ Real Stance

Eventually, cooler heads (and more credible sources) clarified the situation. The Eagles, fresh off a monumental season, would absolutely accept an invitation to visit the White House. One club source came right out and said, “We would be honored to visit the White House.” And why wouldn’t they? Whatever your personal feelings about President Trump, most players still view a White House visit as a unique part of the championship experience.

Of course, everyone remembers that tension boiled over once before, back in 2018 when this same franchise decided not to visit after their Super Bowl LII victory. That year, things got so heated that President Trump rescinded the invitation outright, citing disagreements with certain players who protested during the national anthem. 

Instead of the full roster meeting the President in person, a much smaller delegation was planned — and then that plan fell apart too. It was a drama that overshadowed an incredible season and left fans debating whether sports and politics should mix.

Jeffrey Lurie in the Spotlight

Part of the reason folks were so convinced the Eagles would skip out again has to do with team owner Jeffrey Lurie. He hasn’t exactly hidden his opinions on President Trump in the past, reportedly calling his first presidency “disastrous.” 

But the truth is, Lurie and the organization are big believers in letting their players decide how they feel about these invitations. And from all accounts, the team has coalesced around the view that they will attend if asked.

A Look Back at Other Teams

If there’s any lingering doubt, just know the Eagles wouldn’t be the first team to have a complicated relationship with the White House. The Golden State Warriors famously got disinvited back in 2017 after key players expressed reluctance to attend. 

In the WNBA, the Minnesota Lynx and Seattle Storm never received an invite at all after winning their titles, and some players felt it was a reflection of the tense political landscape. 

Meanwhile, the Boston Red Sox technically showed up in 2018, but several prominent figures — like Mookie Betts and manager Alex Cora — chose to skip for personal and political reasons. 

Even college teams like the South Carolina Gamecocks Women’s program and the North Carolina Tar Heels Men’s team also had their own White House sagas.

So the Eagles certainly aren’t alone in navigating these murky waters. As sports fans, we’ve come to accept that the tradition of champions going to Washington can be overshadowed by deeper controversies. Some see it as a chance to unify for a day, others see it as endorsing a particular administration. Either way, it seems this trip is no longer the simple photo-op it used to be.

So, Are They Going or What?

By all credible indications, absolutely. The Eagles say they’re ready to head down to Washington as soon as the invitation crosses their desk. When that might happen is anyone’s guess because the White House has been relatively quiet, beyond pointing out that no formal invitation was issued in the first place. 

If all goes according to plan, the 2025 Eagles will be the first NFL team to visit the White House during Trump’s second term. If they do, it would be a moment of unity after a championship that Philly die-hards won’t soon forget.

Ultimately, the fuss over whether the Birds would snub the President turned out to be a lot of hot air. For now, the ball is in the White House’s court. If the invite does come, don’t be surprised when your social media feed lights up with pictures of Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown, and the rest of the squad shaking hands around the nation's capital.