Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett confirms he won't visit White House to celebrate Super Bowl victory
Chuck Burton/AP
When the New England Patriots head to the White House to celebrate their stunning Super Bowl 51 victory with noted Patriots fan President Trump, tight end Martellus Bennett won't make the trip.
Bennett told the media during his post-game press conference on Sunday night that he wouldn't be going.
"I'm not going to go," he said. "It is what it is. People know how I feel about it. Just follow me on Twitter."
If you follow Bennett on Twitter, you'll know that last week he tweeted the following:
https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/826049312580894720
America was built on inclusiveness not exclusiveness.
During media day in the lead-up to the Super Bowl, Bennett said he probably wouldn't make the trip to the White House if his team won the big game.
"I don't support the guy in the house," he said.
An athlete skipping a White House visit is nothing new, of course. In 2012, then Bruins goalie Tim Thomas snubbed Obama because he disagreed with Obama's politics.
Still, Bennett's decision is notable because the Patriots are the first team to win a title during the Trump administration. And Trump, who picked the Pats to win by eight before leaving his Super Bowl party early, will likely revel in hosting Robert Kraft, Bill Belichick, and Tom Brady, all of whom he shouted out in a tweet after the Patriots sealed the win.
https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/828447350200926212
What an amazing comeback and win by the Patriots. Tom Brady, Bob Kraft and Coach B are total winners. Wow!
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