Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles to Visit White House on June 5

The 2018 Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles are indeed going to head to Washington D.C. to be personally honored by President Trump in the nation's capital, head coach Doug Pederson confirmed on Tuesday, May 22. However, while he told reporters that the team is generally "excited to be going," Pederson did add that attendance at the ceremony will be "an individual decision."

Just last week White House deputy press secretary Lindsay Walters informed members of the media that the invitation had gone out and that Trump "looks forward to welcoming" the underdog titlists. Since Trump took office, his administration has had trouble getting definitive commitments on whether or not winning franchises intend to attend the ritual meet-and-greet. The MLB champion Houston Astros, for example, did take the trip out to observe the occasion. The Golden State Warriors of 2016-17, on the other hand, didn't.

As a team that is comprised of several vocal members of the NFL's National Anthem protest movement, there has been some question as to who would accept an invite seeing how critical the Commander-In-Chief has been towards players who showed solidarity towards the cause. Safety Malcolm Jenkins, defensive end Chris Long, and wide receiver Torrey Smith have made their stance in opposition to Trump clear. But with months having passed since the season wrapped up, and some believing the president may be turning a new leaf, the attitude has changed for some.

"For me, personally, if the team decides as a whole, most guys want to go or be a part of it, I'll be attending with them," quarterback Carson Wentz told the press in regards to his position on the June 5 meeting. Wentz added that he doesn't see the occasion as a political one, and thus never did conceive going as a political endorsement one way or the other. "I think it's just a cool way to receive the honor nationally and be recognized," he said.

Source: bleacherreport.com