New England Patriots’ tight end Martellus Bennett will not accompany his fellow teammates to the White House to celebrate their Super Bowl LI victory, if they are invited, according to the Dallas Morning News.
Bennett, an outspoken opponent of President Donald Trump, says he is not concerned what Patriots’ owner, Robert Kraft, thinks of his decision.
Kraft, alongside quarterback Tom Brady and Coach Bill Belichick, publicly expressed their support for Trump prior to his election to office.
When reporters questioned why Bennett would refuse a visit to the White House, Bennett said, “Because I don’t support the guy in the house.”
This is not the first instance where an NFL player has denied an invitation to the White House following a Super Bowl win. Pittsburgh Steelers’ linebacker James Harrison has twice denied the offer, refusing a visit after the Steelers’ victories in Super Bowls XL & XLIII.