Jamaican-Born NFL Player Skips Trump White House Invite

Donald Trump with the New England Patriots during a celebration of the team’s Super Bowl victory on the South Lawn at the White House April 19, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

By NAN Sports Editor

News Americas, WASHINGTON, D.C., Thurs. April 20, 2017: Jamaican-born NFL player, Patrick Chung, was among 30 other members of the Super Bowl 2017 winning New England Patriots who skipped Donald Trump’s invitation to the White House Wednesday.

Chung, #23, was a no-show along with the team’s quarter back champ, Tom Brady as well as Devin McCourtney, Martellus Bennett, La Garrette Blount, Dont’a Hightower, Chris Long, Brandon Bolden, Dion Lewis, James White, Danny Amendola, Michael Floyd, Shaq Mason, LaAdrian Waddle, Alan Branch, Malcom Brown, Vincent Valentine, Barkevious Mingo, Malcom Butler, Patrick Chung, Logan Ryan, Cyrus Jones, Ryan Allen, Jonathan Freeny, Tre’ Jackson, Greg Scruggs, Chris Barker, Trevor Bates, Jamil Douglas, Chase Farris, Tyler Gaffney, Woodrow Hamilton, Devin Lucien and DeAndrew White.

Trump welcomed the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots to the White House Wednesday afternoon saying: “What a great day it is to be with all of our friends at the White House.  We celebrate the Super Bowl New England Patriots, world champions, Super Bowl champions — champions, period — and their historic win.  (Applause.)  And they are champions.”

Chung was born in Kingston, Jamaica. His father was a music producer for Chung’s mother, Sophia George-Chung, a Jamaican reggae star with a top 10 hit in the mid-1980s named “Girlie-Girlie.” He is an alumnus of Rancho Cucamonga High School in Rancho Cucamonga, California and the University of Oregon. Chung recently signed to a one-year, $5.7 million extension contract with the Pats through 2018. Through his foundation, Chung Changing Lives, he and his wife, Cecelia, support the personal and academic development of children by providing access to enrichment and educational programs ranging from swimming classes to musical instruction.

The Patriots’ White House visit came just hours after the news from Massachusetts officials that former tight end and Puerto Rico-roots Aaron Hernandez had hanged himself in his prison cell.

Hernandez, who played for the Patriots from 2010 to 2012, was serving a life sentence for a murder conviction in 2013 and last Friday the 27-year-old was acquitted of a double murder.