The Philadelphia Eagles are poised to visit the White House to celebrate their Super Bowl LIX victory, but players won’t be required to attend. Owner Jeffrey Lurie announced earlier this week that participation in the ceremonial visit will remain entirely optional, allowing team members to decide for themselves whether they want to join the celebration.

“Our culture is that these are optional things,” Lurie told reporters. “If you want to enjoy this, come along and we’ll have a great time, and if you don’t, it is totally an optional thing,” leaving open the possibility for Jalen Hurts, the star quarterback, to decline the invitation.

Head coach Nick Sirianni echoed Lurie’s sentiments, highlighting the celebratory nature of the invitation. Lurie emphasized that the trip isn’t intended to carry any political overtones. “This is really just an invitation from the White House,” he said. “That’s all this is, and we’re not politicizing it in any way. Not for us.”

Nobody really knows if he will attend

The Eagles’ decision to make attendance optional follows a historically fraught relationship between sports teams and White House visits in recent years. In 2018, after the Eagles’ first Super Bowl win, the team’s visit to the White House was canceled when then-President Donald Trump rescinded the invitation amid public disputes. This time, however, the invitation has been accepted, though players will retain the freedom to choose whether to participate.

While Lurie and Sirianni have expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity, the team’s leadership stressed the importance of allowing players to make their own decisions. By creating a space for individual choice, the Eagles have sought to preserve the celebratory nature of the visit without placing any undue expectations on their roster.

As the Eagles prepare to head to the White House, all eyes will be on how many players decide to attend and how the team continues to balance tradition, culture, and individuality in their historic Super Bowl celebration.