Eagles Owner Jeffrey Lurie Shuts Down Reporter Suggesting Fans Might "Take Offense" To White House Visit
At one point during his conversation with reporters this week, Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie was asked about the team's upcoming White House visit. And a member of the media asked Lurie what he'd tell fans who "take offense" to the team "embracing" President Donald Trump?
"This is really just an invitation from the White House," Lurie answered. "That's all this is, and we're not politicizing it in any way. Not for us."
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Feb 3, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie is interviewed during Super Bowl LIX Opening Night at Ceasars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Eagles Going To Celebrate, Not Offend
Great answer to a deeply flawed and obviously biased question.
The question makes the assumption that the Eagles visiting Trump at the White House to celebrate a Super Bowl victory would be offensive to some of the team's fans.
And, we get it, some people's reaction might be to dislike the idea. Or disagree with it.
It is America, after all.
But take offense?
Feb 14, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie with the Vince Lombardi Trophy during the Super Bowl LIX championship parade and rally. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Eagles Are ‘Embracing’ Trump?
Eagles fans would "take offense" that the best team in football, the Super Bowl LIX champions, would celebrate their grand achievement at the People's House with the duly elected leader of the entire country?
The reporter also asked the question in the context of the White House visit "embracing" Trump.
Yes, the question shows obvious bias.
It is no less biased than if the reporter had asked what the Eagles would tell their fans who are offended they skipped their 2018 White House visit when Trump was in office?
Not surprisingly, one type of question is asked.
The other type rarely, if ever, is asked.
Media Worldview Leaks Into Job
That's because the media's bias is to dislike Trump. Or assume everyone does. And that colors how it frames things, including questions.
It's a worldview leaking into the job.
And, I get it, Philadelphia, where the Eagles won 11 of 12 games last season, including three in the postseason, is a blue city. It is like most urban areas in the country.
But Trump won Pennsylvania.
It might be that one or two of those folks are Eagles fans.
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 23: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters after signing a series of executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House on January 23, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump signed a range of executive orders pertaining to issues including crypto currency, Artificial Intelligence, and clemency for anti-abortion activists. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
White House Visit ‘Time-Honored Tradition'
So, obviously, the Eagles felt fine about going to visit Trump at the White House.
"We just felt this is a time-honored tradition being invited by the White House," Lurie said. "So there was no reticence whatsoever. To be celebrated at the White House is a good thing."
The Eagles, it should be noted, won the Super Bowl in the 2017-18 season and didn't visit the White House afterward. They were invited and then a sizable number of players declined to attend, so the White House disinvited them.
"There were special circumstances back then that were very different, and so this was kind of an obvious choice and look forward to it," Lurie said.
"When you grow up, and you hear about, ‘Oh, the championship team got to go to the White House,’ that's what this is. And so we didn't have that opportunity and now we do. I think we're all looking forward to it."
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 26: Head coach Nick Sirianni and Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles smile during the trophy ceremony after defeating the Washington Commanders 55-23 to win the NFC Championship Game at Lincoln Financial Field on January 26, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
Eagles Players Will Make Own Choices
Lurie did stress that players would be allowed to make personal decisions about attending or not, as they do with most voluntary team activities.
"Absolutely," he said. "Our culture is that these are optional things. If you want to enjoy this, come along, and we'll have a great time and if you don't, it is totally an optional thing."
By the way, no one asked Lurie what he would tell Eagles fans that "take offense" over players skipping out on the president.
Weird, right?