White House visits are a long-standing tradition for professional sports teams, but COVID-19 disrupted the Kansas City Chiefs’ opportunity to celebrate their Super Bowl 54 victory in 2020.
To rectify the missed occasion, the four-time Super Bowl champions have been invited back to the White House. President Donald Trump wants to recognize the Chiefs after pandemic restrictions prevented them from celebrating their 31-20 win over the San Francisco 49ers.
White House Extends Invite to Super Bowl 54 Champions
The Philadelphia Eagles are the reigning Super Bowl champions. They crushed the Chiefs 40-22 in Super Bowl 59 to hoist the Lombardi Trophy in 2025. The team “enthusiastically accepted” an invitation to the White House where they will be honored on April 28, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt per ESPN.
But in addition to hosting the Eagles, Trump recently announced he will also honor the Chiefs for their Super Bowl 54 victory. Five years later, he believes it’s time to correct what was missed.
“I look forward to having the Eagles [at the White House] and one other thing, we’re going to have the Kansas City Chiefs after that because they missed their turn because of COVID[-19],” Trump told Clay Travis of Outkick.
Thanks to @realDonaldTrump & @karolineleavitt for hosting me on Air Force One. Headed to NCAA Wrestling Tourney in Philly now. pic.twitter.com/oG4OI0UTY6
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) March 22, 2025
Meanwhile, Trump addressed the 2018 controversy when the Eagles were invited and then disinvited from the White House after winning Super Bowl 52. It was originally reported that several Eagles players did not want to attend due to their political views, specifically in relation to standing for the national anthem.
“Well, actually, [the Eagles] did want to come,” Trump told Travis. “A lot of people wanted to come, including the coach [Doug Pederson] — terrific guy, by the way — but the coach wanted to come. The general manager [Howie Roseman] wanted to come. The owner [Jeffrey Lurie] wanted to come. A lot of people wanted to come. Some of the players wanted to come. And I just said, Just forget it, right?”
President Joe Biden Honored Chiefs After Super Bowl 57
The timing of this latest White House invitation is notable. The last time the Chiefs visited 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, they were fresh off a 38-35 victory over the Eagles in Super Bowl 57.
Tight end Travis Kelce stole the show during that visit, joking that President Joe Biden had warned him he’d “get tased” if he took the stage and said something inappropriate.
Kelce was joking with Biden, although he was referencing a viral moment from 2023 when Patrick Mahomes dramatically whisked him away — secret-service style — from the microphone. The scene drew instant laughter from everyone on the White House stage.
“My fellow Americans, it’s nice to see you all yet again,” Kelce said. “I’m not gonna lie, President Biden, they told me if I came up here I’d get tased, so I’m going to go back to my spot.”