Eagles' Jalen Hurts Applauded by Malcolm Jenkins for Skipping White House Visit

Jalen Hurts, the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, found himself in the spotlight for something other than his moves on the field—he skipped the traditional White House celebration after the team's big win, citing "scheduling conflicts." Now, he's earning serious nods of approval from Super Bowl champ and former Eagle Malcolm Jenkins, who knows a thing or two about not showing up for presidential photo ops.

Jenkins, who famously opted out of visiting the White House in 2018 during Donald Trump's presidency, wrote in a Substack post that Hurts' decision to stay away wasn't just about missing a party. According to Jenkins, Hurts is setting a standard for leadership by choosing principles over applause. Jenkins put it bluntly: "He solidifies himself as a selfless leader, willing to risk comfort to honor his values." Honestly, that's a lot more inspiring than the usual "I just want to thank my teammates" post-game speech.

Jenkins also warned that taking a stand like this isn't all high-fives and inspirational memes. Passing on the White House means Hurts could face media heat, public backlash, and maybe even some side-eye in the locker room. But Jenkins says that's the price of real leadership—it’s about leading conversations, not just huddles. And Hurts just signed up for a much bigger game.

The discussion even veered into Saquon Barkley's territory, after Barkley reportedly spent his day with Trump instead of his teammates. Jenkins called it "disappointing," but acknowledged everyone has to walk their own path, adding that in times like these, even silence speaks volumes. If only skipping awkward parties was always this meaningful.