The Philadelphia Eagles celebrated their Super Bowl LIX victory against the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday with President Donald Trump, but several key team members were absent from the event. The Eagles’ star quarterback, Jalen Hurts, was noticeably missing due to a “scheduling conflict,” according to White House officials.
Hurts had previously dodged questions about celebrating the team’s win at the White House, sparking speculation about his potential absence. Trump praised Hurts as a “terrific guy and terrific player” during the ceremony, but did not mention him by name.
Other notable absentees included several key players such as wide receivers AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith, linebacker Zack Baun, defensive ends Brandon Graham and Josh Sweat, and defensive tackle Jalen Carter. However, running back Saquon Barkley was in attendance, having spent time with Trump over the weekend.
During the ceremony, Trump expressed his support for the “Tush Push” play, which has become polarizing across the NFL. He called it an “exciting and different” play that should be kept by the league. Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni thanked Trump for the endorsement, saying “we appreciate the tush push.”
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/29/sport/eagles-white-house-donald-trump-hurts-swift-spt-intl/index.html