More than 10 percent of the Patriots’ roster from Super Bowl LI won’t be going to the White House.
Defensive tackle Alan Branch tells SiriusXM NFL Radio that he won’t be making the trip. With running back LeGarrette Blount, tight end Martellus Bennett, defensive back Devin McCourty, linebacker Dont’a Hightower, and defensive lineman Chris Long already passing, that’s a total of six players who won’t go.
Of course, there’s a chance that five of those players will be playing for other teams by the time the trip happens; Branch, Blount, Bennett, Hightower, and Long currently are due to become free agents four weeks from today.
Still, as the trend spreads, it may influence more players who will be on the roster come May or June (when the trip usually happens) to decline. At some point, the number of advance “no thanks” may be so large that the White House may simply never extend the formal invitation.
