President Joe Biden hosted the Kansas City Chiefs at the White House on Monday in celebration of their Super Bowl LVII victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.
The president began his remarks by acknowledging that first lady Jill Biden is an Eagles fan.
“The way the game ended, I might be in for a rough night. Jill still doesn’t even believe the Eagles player who acknowledged the holding penalty,” alluding to the controversial, game-deciding penalty call against Eagles cornerback James Bradberry. “But I figured if the Kelce family can make it work for Travis and Jason — the first two brothers to play against each other in the Super Bowl — there’s hope for the rest of us.”
This visit was the Chiefs’ first to the White House. The team did not attend after their 2020 Super Bowl win due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The visitors included Kansas City Chiefs president Mark Donovan, head coach Andy Reid, quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce.
US President Joe Biden speaks during a celebration for the Kansas City Chiefs, 2023 Super Bowl champions, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on June 5, 2023. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)
The Chiefs have appeared in three of the last four Super Bowls, defeating the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 in February, losing 31-9 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021 and emerging victorious over the San Francisco 49ers in 2020 with a score of 31-20. (RELATED: Super Bowl LVII Becomes Third Most-Watched TV Program Of All-Time With An Incredible 113 Million Viewers)
Jill Biden attended the 2023 game and rooted for the Eagles. The president said he would root for the Eagles because his wife is a “Philly girl” and joked that otherwise he would be “sleeping alone.”
Biden did, however, congratulate the Chiefs after their win.
Congrats to the Kansas City Chiefs on their Super Bowl win and to MVP @PatrickMahomes on leading the team to victory. Through injury and obstacles, you showed grit and true resilience.
Looking forward to having you at the White House.
— President Biden (@POTUS) February 13, 2023
“Congrats to the Kansas City Chiefs on their Super Bowl win and to MVP @PatrickMahomes on leading the team to victory. Through injury and obstacles, you showed grit and true resilience. Looking forward to having you at the White House,” Biden tweeted at the time.