Jalen Hurts declines to go into detail on missing Eagles Super Bowl celebration at White House: 'I wasn't available'
Hurts was asked Tuesday why he missed the event. He declined to go into detail on the issue, simply saying he "wasn't available." Hurts added he didn't think it was pertinent to the upcoming season.
Jalen Hurts asked why he didn't go to the White House: 'I wasn't available. I don't think that's pertinent. Everyone who went, and was available, they seemed to enjoy themselves.' pic.twitter.com/mLbvuyyqVh
— Eagles Nation (@PHLEaglesNation) May 20, 2025
And that was that.
Hurts' media session Tuesday was supposed to focus on the upcoming NFL season and he held fast to that topic. Hurts even declined to answer a question about the Super Bowl because it was something that happened in the past.
Tuesday marks at least the second time this offseason Hurts declined to get into specifics when discussing the White House visit. Prior to the event, Hurts merely said "um" when asked whether he planned to attend.
There was no fallout from Hurts skipping the event. The White House seemed perfectly content with Hurts' "scheduling conflicts" getting in the way of the visit and Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie put out a statement making it clear attendance was "optional."
Hurts is not the first quarterback to skip the White House visit for scheduling reasons. New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers legend Tom Brady did it multiple times over his career.
Given Hurts' status in the NFL — he is the quarterback of the team that just won the Super Bowl — he'll likely continue to face questions about the White House visit over the next few months. If Tuesday's answer is any indication, he'll keep his response brief before turning the focus back to football.
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McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane are proud of the culture they've grown, cultivating a hale organization from the salted soil that produced 17 years of playoff famine. Propelled by their face-of-the-NFL quarterback, they've turned a small-market outpost into a perennial Super Bowl contender. Prior to Cook, Beane never had a contract situation cause any type of training camp boycott. Everybody is supposed to be happy here. The idea that a star player is upset about his contract goes against the Bills' well-manicured identity. But it must not be super-fun-wow for Cook to see several of his peers get contract extensions this offseason while he remains empty-handed. Three of his 2022 draft classmates — linebacker Terrel Bernard, receiver Khalil Shakir, cornerback Christian Benford — and edge rusher Gregory Rousseau now are on their second NFL deals. Benford suggested last week at St. John Fisher University he wouldn't handle his contract the way Cook has. 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But NFL contracts aren't fully guaranteed like in other leagues. It's funny how critics don't rail against a team's so-called contractual obligations when it cuts a player such as popular center Mitch Morse, whose salary is no longer palatable. The controversy is reinforced by the debate over whether running backs are worth big bucks in the first place. Cook is not a three-down back given his liability as a pass-blocker. Buffalo is hesitant to invest so much into an incomplete back. 'James wants what he wants,' Bills running back Ty Johnson said Saturday, 'and that's all there is to it. 'He's a man about his business, about his money. That's how I leave it. I'm just worried about myself and what I can do for this team.' Cook learned about football business from his big brother, Dalvin Cook. Perhaps the most important lesson is that a running back's shelf life is preciously short. Dalvin Cook, about to turn 25 at the time, squabbled with the Minnesota Vikings in 2020. After he rushed for 1,135 yards and 13 touchdowns in his first Pro Bowl season, Dalvin threatened to hold out if his rookie contract wasn't extended before the season. Dalvin showed up to training camp, got a five-year, $63 million contract and made three more Pro Bowls before the Vikings cut him for money reasons. Dalvin soon became a whisper of a runner, scuffling through the past two seasons with three clubs, including time on the Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys practice squads. Advertisement 'There's the huge business piece to this game,' Allen said. 'It's the hardest part. A lot of people don't understand it. 'This is generational stuff. It's wealth for you and your family. It's not a small chunk of change.' Buffalo's running backs all enjoyed their moments Saturday. Davis started and had the worst day as a runner, but probably the most entertaining. He rushed four times for only 7 yards and caught one pass for 7 yards, but he kicked an extra point with Tyler Bass sidelined by pelvic soreness. Johnson had three carries for 26 yards and didn't see any targets. Frank Gore Jr. ran five times for 21 yards and caught a team-high five passes for 50 yards. Darrynton Evans ran twice for 4 yards but added two receptions for 14 yards, including a 7-yard TD from quarterback Mike White in the fourth quarter. Fullback Reggie Gilliam made a 19-yard catch. Everybody knows, however, that any of those backs will have difficulty replacing what Cook can do. 'James is one-of-a-kind,' Davis said. 'There's a very few amount of guys who's breaking 75-yard runs in NFL, and he's one of those guys. To see how special he is when he has the ball in his hands, he does a lot for this organization. He does a lot for this running back room. 'So to have him continue to be out here definitely is a good thing for the Buffalo Bills.' That would be best for the team and its Super Bowl aspirations. The Bills better hope Cook's decision to warm up is a metaphor for a thaw in negotiations. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
