WASHINGTON, D.C. — Linebacker Dont’a Hightower is no stranger to visiting the White House. During his time with the Alabama Crimson Tide, he visited the White House following the BCS National Championship victory in 2012. But since his time with the New England Patriots, he has been noticeably absent.
When the Super Bowl LI champions visit President Donald J. Trump, Hightower will not be joining them. Instead, he is content staying at home. “Been there, done that,” Hightower told ESPN.com. After the Patriots won Super Bowl XLIX by defeating the Seattle Seahawks, Hightower also skipped out on the visit to President Barack Obama.
While Hightower appears to be generally uninterested, some of his teammates are skipping the trip to make a political statement. Tight end Martellus Bennett and safety Devin McCourty have made clear that they do not care to meet President Trump.
Five-time Super Bowl Champion Tom Brady is a fan of Trump, as is future Hall-of-Fame Coach Bill Belichick. After their historic overtime win, President Trump congratulated both of them via Twitter.
What an amazing comeback and win by the Patriots. Tom Brady, Bob Kraft and Coach B are total winners. Wow!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 6, 2017
Three days ago, the Super Bowl MVP posted a photo on Instagram, with a caption highlighting how sports works to bring different people together, rather than tearing them apart.
Tom Brady was also absent from the most recent White House visit, stating he wanted to spend time with his family.
