Patriots Tight End Martellus Bennett to No-Show White House Celebration with President Trump
“It is what it is. People know how I feel about it. Just follow me on Twitter,” New England Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett said when he announced he would not attend the White House celebration with President Trump for the victors of Super Bowl LI on Sunday.
Bennett stated that he’s “not really worried” about the fact that Tom Brady, Coach Belichick, and Patriots owner Robert Kraft have all expressed their friendship with the nation’s 45th president. “I’m not worried about it at all,” he insisted.
One day before the November presidential election, Bennett tweeted “I’m with her,” indicating that he planned on casting his vote for Hillary Clinton.
I'm with her.
— Martellus Bennett (@MartysaurusRex) November 8, 2016
Bennett also tweeted in January that the “president dude” was not inclusive and worried that Trump may ban celebrating the Chinese New Year in America:
America was built on inclusiveness not exclusiveness.
— Martellus Bennett (@MartysaurusRex) January 30, 2017
Surprised the president dude didn't ban celebrating Chinese New Year in America!!
— Martellus Bennett (@MartysaurusRex) January 29, 2017
The 29-year-old second round draft choice by the Dallas Cowboys in 2008 insists that he doesn’t bring his political views to work. “We all have our beliefs. We accept people for who they are,” asserts Bennett.
Apparently, Bennett who connected with Brady for five passes and drew a crucial pass interference call toward the end of overtime doesn’t plan on accepting President Trump “for who he is,” as Yahoo Sports pointed out.
Bennett is not the first to boycott a Super Bowl gathering with the sitting president. In 2015, after the Pats won Super Bowl 49 by beating the Seahawks, Tom Brady did not make it to the White House gala hosted by former president Barack Obama.
Boston Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez famously didn’t make it to the World Series victory gathering to meet George W. Bush claiming he “just didn’t feel like it.” Bush 43 quipped, “I’m sorry [David Ortiz’s] running mate, Manny Ramirez, isn’t here, I guess his grandmother died again. Just kidding. Tell Manny I didn’t mean it.”