In an era where athletes are taking to social media to weigh in on a variety of issues, there is always inevitable pushback when a player takes a controversial stand, and New England Patriots defensive lineman Chris Long is finding that out after his decision not to attend the team’s ceremony at the White House.
Long, whose brother Kyle plays for the Chicago Bears, won the Super Bowl with the Patriots earlier this month, but he is one of many players on the team that will not be attending the yet-to-be-scheduled ceremony at the historic mansion.
Ever since he made the decision not to go, Long has predictably been inundated with tweets, with some fans praising his decision and others jeering him for not going.
On Thursday night, the lineman responded to the criticisms of his decision, sending out a lengthy series of tweets detailing some of the critiques that he’s heard and his responses to the barbs from fans.
Here are some of the more notable ones:
Long is just one of many Patriots players who will not be attending a White House ceremony. Players like running back LeGarrette Blount, tight end Martellus Bennett, and defensive back Devin McCourty have also said they will not be attending due to their disagreements with the policies of President Donald Trump.
