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The Seattle Seahawks have not been invited to the White House yet, coach Mike Macdonald said Feb. 25 at the NFL scouting combine. Until an invitation exists, there’s nothing for Seattle to accept or decline, a key detail that’s been muddied by viral rumors. The Athletic reported on the status of the invite.
That matters for one simple reason: until there’s an official invite, there’s nothing for Seattle to accept or decline, a point that’s been easy to lose amid the swirl of social-media rumor.
New: The #Seahawks haven’t yet received an invitation to the White House. When it comes, Mike Macdonald says, they’ll “address” whether they’re going to attend. t.co/MxN8Ke0osI
Seahawks News: Were the Seahawks Invited to the White House?
Macdonald told reporters the Seahawks haven’t made any decision on a White House visit because, in his words, the team still hasn’t gotten an invitation.
“We haven’t gotten an invite yet,” Macdonald said, adding that the team would handle the situation after that point.
Macdonald also indicated it would be a group decision, rather than one person speaking for the entire organization.
In other words: no invitation means no final answer, not from Macdonald, not from the front office, not from players.
Seahawks Rumors: Did Seattle already decline a White House visit?
The timing of Macdonald’s comments is significant because it arrives after a rumor circulated online claiming the Seahawks had already turned down a White House visit.
In Heavy’s earlier reporting, we noted there was no public documentation of an invite being sent, and no confirmation from either the White House or the Seahawks that anything had been declined. You can read that full breakdown here.
Fact-checkers and major outlets have also landed in the same place: the claim that Seattle “declined” didn’t come with evidence of an invitation in the first place.
Macdonald’s quote now gives the cleanest, most direct update possible: Seattle hasn’t received an invite yet.
Do championship teams still go to the White House?
Championship-team White House visits have become more complicated (and more scrutinized) in recent years, with teams sometimes going with partial attendance, or individual players opting out.
A recent NFL example: the Philadelphia Eagles visited the White House on April 28, 2025, and multiple players — including Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, and DeVonta Smith — did not attend.
That timeline is worth noting because it shows these events are often scheduled weeks after the season ends — not immediately after the Super Bowl — and they depend on coordination between the White House, the league/team, and travel logistics.
So what’s next for Seattle?
Step 1: An invitation has to be extended.
Step 2: The Seahawks decide — as Macdonald said — once there’s something official to respond to.
Has a team ever declined a White House visit?
The Seahawks’ first Super Bowl championship team did visit the White House in 2014 (during President Barack Obama’s administration). One notable story from that trip: Marshawn Lynch didn’t attend, and his mother told The Seattle Times that he “just didn’t want to go.”
That history is relevant now because it underscores a reality that often gets overlooked in this discourse: even when a team goes, attendance can be individual and optional.
Bottom line
Right now, the Seahawks’ White House situation is straightforward: no invite has arrived yet, and Macdonald says the team will deal with the decision if and when that happens.
And until that invitation is real — not rumored — any definitive claims about Seattle “declining” are still jumping ahead of the only step that matters.
FAQ
Were the Seahawks invited to the White House? No — Macdonald said no invite has been received.
Did the Seahawks decline? There’s nothing to decline without an invite; no public proof an invite existed.
Do teams still visit? Yes, but timing varies and attendance can be partial.
Can players skip? Yes, individual attendance is optional; teams often have absences.
Erik Anderson is an award-winning sports journalist covering the NBA, MLB and NFL for Heavy.com. He also focuses on the trading card market. His work has appeared in nationally-recognized outlets including The New York Times, Associated Press , USA Today, and ESPN. More about Erik Anderson
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