Rumors of the Philadelphia Eagles rejecting a White House visit made headlines, but star players like Jordan and Larry Bird snubbed Washington long before President Trump.

The Philadelphia Eagles’ 2025 Super Bowl LIX victory reignited debates about athletes declining White House invitations. While initial reports suggested conversations between players and the front office resulted in a “massive no” when discussing the idea of visiting President Donald Trump, the team later clarified they would “be honored” to attend if invited—potentially in response to negative commentary following the initial rumors. This is a contrast to 2018, when Trump canceled their visit after learning many players planned to boycott.

Historically, White House visits were viewed as apolitical celebrations, but evolving political fractures and changes in athlete activism have transformed these events into cultural flashpoints. Below, we examine several iconic snubs and their motivations.

Non-Political Snubs by Sports Legends

Michael Jordan ‘Snubbing’ President Bush
Michael Jordan famously skipped the Chicago Bulls’ visit to President George H.W. Bush’s White House after their first NBA championship. While Jordan cited family commitments, rumors swirled about his true activities that day, including speculation that he spent the day golfing and gambling instead.

Though Jordan never confirmed the specifics, his avoidance set a precedent for stars prioritizing personal time over protocol.

Larry Bird: ‘[The President] Knows Where to Find Me’ 
The Boston Celtics’ 1984 championship earned them an invitation to President Ronald Reagan’s White House, but Larry Bird declined.

“If the president wants to see me, he knows where to find me,” Bird told reporters, emphasizing his indifference to the ceremony and perhaps reacting to the White House contacting the Los Angeles Lakers about a potential visit 1-2 days before ever reaching out to the Celtics.

James Harrison: ‘If We’d Lost, [Obama] Would’ve Invited Arizona’
NFL linebacker James Harrison rejected invitations from both sides of the political spectrum—Presidents George W. Bush (2006) and Barack Obama (2009)—arguing the visits lacked authenticity.

“If we’d lost, [Obama] would’ve invited Arizona,” Harrison told Pittsburgh’s WTAE-TV. “It’s not personal—just business as usual.”

Tom Brady: Chance to be with Cancer-Stricken Mom
After winning Super Bowl LI in 2017, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady cited family health struggles as his reason for skipping the Trump White House visit. Brady’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016.

“Hopefully, if we accomplish the goal of winning a championship in the future years, we will back on the South Lawn again soon,” Brady explained in a statement.

Political Statements in the Modern Era

Tim Thomas’ Libertarian Stance
NHL goaltender Tim Thomas refused to join the 2011 Boston Bruins at President Obama’s White House, releasing a statement criticizing federal overreach.

The Warriors-Trump Standoff
The Golden State Warriors’ 2017 refusal to visit the Trump White House marked a turning point. After Stephen Curry publicly criticized Trump’s divisive rhetoric, the president rescinded their invitation on Twitter.

“Would we have gone? Probably not,” head coach Steve Kerr wrote in Sports Illustrated in 2017. The truth is we all struggled with the idea of spending time with a man who has offended us with his words and actions time and again.”

The Warriors were not invited after they won the championship again in 2018. Instead, they spent the day with local kids at the National Museum of African-American History and Culture in Washington.

While political divides have amplified the noise around the decision whether or not to visit the White House, it’s clear that declining such an invitation is not always strictly about politics. Some folks would just rather golf.