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The sports franchise most willing to associate itself with President Donald Trump is on top once again. The New England Patriots beat the Los Angeles Rams with a boring 13-3 win in Super Bowl 53 — making it the sixth Lombardi Trophy for the team since Tom Brady took the reins at quarterback in 2001.
A year ago, the Philadelphia Eagles were disinvited from the White House after a laughably small contingent of players planned to make the short trip to Washington. The Golden State Warriors have skipped the traditional trip to the White House after their wins in the NBA Finals the last two seasons.
You should expect to see the Patriots there, though. Most of them, at least.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft has called Trump a friend. Coach Bill Belichick wrote a letter to Trump in 2016 that said he hoped the “election results will give the opportunity to make America great again.” A “Make America Great Again” hat was spotted in Brady’s locker —although, the quarterback didn’t attend the White House trip in 2017 due to “personal family matters,” or in 2015 when President Barack Obama was still in office.
The Patriots didn’t hesitate to visit the White House when they won Super Bowl 51, and Trump has already said he expects them back again this year. But not every Patriots player made the trip two years ago, and there are already a few members of the team who have said they’re bowing out.
We’ll keep updating the list of the players who have said they will and won’t to the White House.
Patriots players who have said they won’t attend
Feb. 4: Safety Duron Harmon
Free safety Duron Harmon hadn’t even left the parking lot at Mercedes-Benz Stadium when he was approached by a TMZ reporter and asked about a visit to the White House.
“Nah, they don’t want me in the White House,” Harmon said.
Harmon said he’d rather follow the Warriors’ lead and visit Obama instead.
Feb. 4: Defensive backs Jason McCourty and Devin McCourty
Devin McCourty was one of the first to announce he wouldn’t visit the White House after the Patriots’ Super Bowl win in 2017.
“Basic reason for me is I don’t feel accepted in the White House,” McCourty told Time magazine two years ago. “With the president having so many strong opinions and prejudices I believe certain people might feel accepted there while others won’t.
So it’s not surprising that he isn’t going in 2019 either.
According to the Associated Press, both of the twin brothers who play in the New England secondary have opted against the visit.
Jason McCourty was traded to the Patriots in March 2018 after spending the 2017 season with the Browns and the first eight seasons of his career with the Titans. Super Bowl 53 was his first Super Bowl appearance.