Super Bowl Champ Kansas City Chiefs Accept White House Invite After NCAA Champ Georgia Declines

It will be the first visit to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. for the three-time champion squad.
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The Super Bowl-champion Kansas City Chiefs accepted an invitation to the White House, announcing Wednesday they will be welcomed by President Joe Biden on June 5.

The Chiefs beat the Philadelphia Eagles for their third NFL title in February, but this will be their first team visit to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

The franchise won its first Super Bowl in 1970, 10 years before presidents began a more consistent tradition of inviting championship teams, Bleacher Report noted. After the Chiefs’ second Super Bowl victory, in 2020, the pandemic put the kibosh on any White House aspirations.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes hoists the Lombardi Trophy after leading the Chiefs to a Super Bowl LVII victory, 38-35, over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes hoists the Lombardi Trophy after leading the Chiefs to a Super Bowl LVII victory, 38-35, over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
Kansas City Star via Getty Images

White House invitations became politically fraught during President Donald Trump’s term.

Trump withdrew an invitation to the NBA champion Golden State Warriors in 2017 after he got wind that Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant would not attend if the team went. He also pulled back the welcome mat for the Super Bowl champion Eagles in 2018 after many players planned to skip the event.

The Biden administration experienced an invitation controversy recently.

Louisiana State University guard Angel Reese slammed first lady Jill Biden’s original plan to invite both the NCAA champion Tigers and the losing team, Iowa, to the White House, suggesting she and teammates would not attend. LSU was later scheduled to visit the White House with men’s national champion Connecticut on May 26.

In replying to Biden’s apology through a spokesperson, Reese said at the time: “I mean, you felt like they (Iowa) should’ve came because of sportsmanship, right? They can have that spotlight. We’ll go to the Obamas. We’ll see Michelle. We’ll see Barack.”

Reese relented and said she will join the team in D.C. for the occasion.

Georgia’s national championship football team said earlier this week it would not be attending a June 12 event with other college teams at the White House because of scheduling. There were grumblings among players and fans that Georgia did not receive an invitation sooner, People reported.

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