The statement issued by the Eagles on Monday night regarding the White House visit cancellation kerfuffle fairly can be characterized as the franchise taking the high road. It also can be read as the team tiptoeing around the possibility of getting into a back and forth with the Commander-in-Chief.
“It has been incredibly thrilling to celebrate our first Super Bowl Championship,” the Eagles said. “Watching the entire Eagles community come together has been an inspiration. We are truly grateful for all of the support we have received and we are looking forward to continuing our preparations for the 2018 season.”
That’s it. No mention of the White House visit. No mention of the cancellation of the White House visit. Above all else, no mention of the President.
The Eagles know they’re in a no-win situation. Even if they only defend themselves or explain their position, it easily could be twisted into an attack on the President and, in turn, an opening for more tweets and taunts and tumult.
Surely, the Eagles had to say something. Ultimately, the Eagles opted to say next to nothing.
It’s a continuation of the fear with which the NFL regards the President and his base. For a league that constantly fights and fights and fights and fights anyone and everyone and anything and everything, the NFL has finally found a foe who is capable of making the league run up a tree.
Here’s the real question: How long will that last? If the President plans to pick on the NFL any and every chance he can get, regardless of what the league does to defuse things, at some point a league that is used to rolling up its sleeves and throwing punches may decide that it’s go time.