The Patriots won the Super Bowl two years ago in 2015, and pretty much everyone showed up to hang with Obama - but as this photo shows, in 2017...not so much.
Later on Wednesday, the Times tweeted photos of the of Patriots at the White House celebrating their Super Bowl victory in 2015 vs. 2017.
A side-by-side comparison of the teams on both occasions showed a visibly smaller contingent to visit President Donald Trump than former President Barack Obama - a difference first noted by The New York Times.
The Patriots disputed the claim, saying the photos "lack context".
Yesterday (April 19) the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots made the customary Super Bowl winners trip to The White House.
"The confetti hadn't hit the ground after the game before people asked the players if they'd be attending the White House", he said. Staff members who traveled with the team for Wednesday's visit were seated on the South Lawn at the time the photo was taken. That is still down considerably from the estimated 50 players who visited Obama in 2015, but that too can be explained, at least in part, by the timing of the Super Bowl (cont. below). Wednesday was a day off from offseason workouts for the Patriots so Brady decided to make the most of his time with his ill mother. One of Trump's signature "Make America Great Again" hats was spotted in Tom Brady's locker in 2015.
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Patriots quarterback Tom Brady also wasn't present at Wednesday's event, citing "personal family matters" as the reason.
Not mentioned by Trump were the many absent players.
According to The Boston Globe, 34 Patriots players were at the White House to visit with Trump.
LeGarrette Blount, Chris Long, Alan Branch, Dont'a Hightower, Martellus Bennett and Devin McCourty all previously said they would not go to the ceremony.
Trump has saluted Patriots owner Bob Kraft, a longtime friend, and says the longtime coach, Bill Belichick, has "built a culture dedicated to winning".
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