The Philadelphia Eagles may not have gotten their traditional fete at the White House with the president, thanks to President Trump canceling the event. But that just gave Eagles fans another reason to hold a Super Bowl party.
A few dozen Eagles fans honored the Birds with a rally at Dilworth Park organized spontaneously after Mayor Jim Kenney said City Hall was ‘open for a celebration anytime’ in his response to Trump’s rejection.
While it wasn’t quite the size of post-Super Bowl festivities or the Eagles victory parade earlier this year, the small rally Tuesday evening may just be a taste of things to come. Hours after President Trump disinvited the Many Philadelphians said they want a hometown celebration for the Birds instead — in the form of an Eagles Rally in Philly.
Some took Mayor Kenney’s response to Trump, in which he said “City Hall is always open for a celebration,” as an invitation for an impromptu fête of the Lombardi Trophy-holding Eagles.
“City Hall is always open for a celebration,” Mayor Kenney said in a statement trashing the president’s decision. “Disinviting them from the White House only proves that our President is not a true patriot, but a fragile egomaniac obsessed with crowd size and afraid of the embarrassment of throwing a party which no one wants to attend.”A Facebook event quickly popped up calling for a celebration at 5 p.m. of the Eagles at City Hall.
Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey bashed Trump and invited the Eagles’ to instead come to Washington, D.C. to tour the Capitol and visit Congress.
“I’m proud of what the Eagles accomplished this year,” Casey tweeted. “I’m skipping this political stunt at the White House and just invited the Eagles to Congress. Eagles How about a tour of the Capitol?”
He wasn’t the only official to praise the team Trump rejected.
“The Eagles are still welcome at my office — come over whenever, tweeted Pa. attorney general Josh Shapiro. “We’ll celebrate your Super Bowl victory and while we are at it we can discuss criminal justice reform or whatever else is on your mind.”
Trump’s alleged reasons for cancellation, related to the NFL anthem protests and a number of players saying they wouldn’t attend, only earned the team more support from locals.
“The Eagles call the birthplace of our democracy home, so it’s no surprise that this team embodies everything that makes our country and our city great,” Mayor Kenney said. “Their athletic accomplishments on the field led to an historic victory this year. Fans all across the country rallied behind them because we like to root for the underdog and we feel joy when we see the underdogs finally win. I’m equally proud of the Eagles’ activism off the field. These are players who stand up for the causes they believe in and who contribute in meaningful ways to their community. They represent the diversity of our nation—a nation in which we are free to express our opinions.”
