A number of Kansas City Chiefs players and personnel have expressed a willingness to visit President Trump at the White House following their 31-20 Super Bowl victory on Sunday.
Professional and collegiate championship teams have traditionally been invited to and accepted offers to meet the president. The ritual, which first occurred in 1865 under President Andrew Johnson, became commonplace during President Ronald Reagan’s administration, according to NPR.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, 61, who has led the team since 2013, told the Kansas City Star, “I haven’t thought about [an invitation] … I mean, I’ll be there. So, if they’re inviting us, I’ll be here. … It’s quite an honor.”
Wide receiver Tyreek Hill, one of the team’s most explosive players, said of visiting the White House, “That would be great,” adding that he’s never been to Washington, D.C.
Safety Tyrann Mathieu said, “I’m here to represent the Kansas City Chiefs. I think my teammates feel the same way. Any time we get the opportunity to represent Kansas City the right way, represent our teammates the right way, I don’t see any wrong in that.”
Chiefs defensive end Frank Clark was not as open to the idea of meeting with the president but did not close the door on the idea entirely. He acknowledged that there’s “a lot of stuff going on surrounding the White House” and noted the tradition behind the visit while adding, “It’s a lot of mixed emotions about stuff going on there.”
Athletes including Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls, Jake Arrieta of the Chicago Cubs, Boston Bruins goalie and Tea Party supporter Tim Thomas have all skipped out on their team’s trip to the White House during previous administrations. More recently, though, a number of teams, including the Philadelphia Eagles and Golden State Warriors, either canceled their visits to the White House or had it nixed for them by the Trump administration.
[Read more: ‘Stone cold idiot’: Ex-Missouri senator rips Trump for praising Kansas after Chiefs win Super Bowl]
