The Ohio State Buckeyes won the national championship game this season, taking down the mighty Notre Dame with a 34-23 final tally.
Now, the red-and-white school has confirmed whether or not they’ll accept an invitation from President Donald Trump to visit the White House.
Following a national championship win, it’s customary for the winning team’s coaches, players and staff to be honored at the White House. It’s a tradition that’s been going on for years, but there hadn’t been word about Ohio State accepting the invite, until now.
Ohio State Head Coach Confirms White House Visit
Ohio State head football coach Ryan Day confirmed on March 24 that, yes, he and his team will visit President Donald Trump at the White House next month in honor of their national championship victory. He also said that the team received a formal invite.
“It’s an honor to be invited. We were formally invited. It’s customary,” the football coach told reporters per Fox News. “I remember growing up and watching the national championship teams going to the White House… It’s part of the celebration of our team.”
In a report published March 21, sources tell CBS that the visit will take place on April 21.
President Donald Trump will preside over the celebration, but on top of Trump being there, Ohio State will also have Vice President J.D. Vance present. The move makes sense, since Vance is an Ohio State graduate.
Trump wasn’t at the championship game, which happened on the day of his inauguration, but he did pop up in a pre-recorded message that aired on ESPN during halftime. In the message, he commented on how it had been a very “historic and exciting day.”
Ohio State will be the second championship team to visit the White House during Trump’s second term as President, the first being the National Hockey League’s Florida Panthers following their Stanley Cup win.
National Football League Teams Visiting the White House
President Trump will also host the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles on April 28. In an interesting turn of events, he also wants to host the Kansas City Chiefs to celebrate their 2020 Super Bowl win.
During an interview on March 22 with Clay Travis, the founder of the publication Outkick, aboard Air Force One, Trump told the publication that he is not only looking forward to hosting the Philadelphia Eagles at the White House to honor their Super Bowl LIX win, but he also would like to host the Kansas City Chiefs to make up for that team missing their victory visit due to the pandemic.
“I look forward to having the (Philadelphia) Eagles (for being the champions of Super Bowl LIX in February),” Trump told Travis during the interview. “And one other thing, we’re going to have the Kansas City Chiefs after that, because they missed their turn because of Covid.”
No date has been set for the Kansas City Chiefs to visit the White House, and the team hasn’t sent out any indication that they will do so. But, now that he’s put this statement out there, don’t be surprised if you see Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and company at the White House later this year.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post President Trump Reaches Out to Ohio State Football Team appeared first on Heavy Sports.