WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden welcomed the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs to the White House on Friday, and he said he hopes to bring them back.
The annual celebration of the NFL’s title team brought a slightly more intense backdrop on Friday, as White House guests were unlikely to include head coach Harrison Butker. thunderbolt in cultural debates over gender roles.
Butker was among the players standing behind Biden during the welcome ceremony.
The Chiefs repeated as Super Bowl champions on Feb. 11, defeating the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime in Las Vegas. The last team to repeat as champions was the New England Patriots, who won in 2004 and 2005.
“The Kansas City Chiefs are the first team in 20 years to win back-to-backs — back-to-backs, I like it,” said Biden, who faces a tough re-election battle in November.
Star quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce took center stage Friday. When Kelce was given the microphone, she chose to keep her words brief.
“My fellow citizens,” Kelce said, drawing laughter from the oft-repeated presidential line. “It’s good to see you all again. I’m not going to lie, President Biden, I was told I would be Tased if I came here, so I’m going back to my seat.”
There was no sign of Kelce’s world-famous girlfriend, pop star Taylor Swift, at Friday’s event.
He is in the middle of the European leg of the Eras Tour. Swift played Madrid Thursday and he is scheduled to be on stage Lyon, France, Sunday.
The only moderately angry moment came when the team presented Biden with a Chiefs helmet and the players egged Biden on to wear it — and he did.
Butker and Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice were both at the White House.
Butker was recently in the news for a controversial start Address at a Catholic liberal arts college Outside of Kansas City. He urged women graduates to give up their careers and devote themselves to their husbands and children.
Butker also criticized the Biden administration for its positions on abortion and the Covid pandemic.
rice surrendered to the police Last month due to a multi-car accident in Dallas in March.
Monica Alba reported from Washington and David K. Lee from New York.