Saquon Barkley rejected Donald Trump’s invitation to join his council on sports, fitness and nutrition, with the Eagles star admitting he was ‘shocked’ to be namechecked by the president.
Trump last week invited a number of sports stars – including golfer Bryson DeChambeau and Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker – to the White House as he signed an executive order to reestablish the Presidential Fitness Test.
It also ‘revitalizes’ a national sports council stacked with sports legends including Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, hockey icon Wayne Gretzky and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
Barkley was among those named by Trump but the running back has now revealed that he turned down the president’s offer.
‘I was definitely a little shocked when my name was mentioned. I’m assuming it’s something great, so I appreciate it but was a little shocked when my name was mentioned,’ Barkley said on Monday, per ESPN.
‘A couple months ago, it was brought to my team about the council… (but) I felt like I am going to be super busy, so me and my family thought it would probably be of best interest to not accept that.’
Saquon Barkley rejected Donald Trump’s offer to join a council on sports, fitness and nutrition
The president hosted multiple professional athletes at the White House last month
The Philadelphia Eagles star played golf with the president following their Super Bowl win
In April, Barkley visited the White House with the Eagles on the back of their Super Bowl victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
The running back had earlier spent time with Trump at the president’s golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, before flying back to Washington on Marine One.
Barkley also spent time with Trump’s family this spring, posing for pictures with Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, and her husband, Jared Kushner at the JP Morgan tech 100 summit.
There will be up to 30 council members, with Nick Bosa, Tua Tagovailoa and Butker among the current NFL players set to serve.
The group will be tasked with advising the president and working on measures such as fitness goals for America’s youth.
The Presidential Fitness Test, a fixture of public schools for decades, gauged young people’s health and athleticism with one-mile runs, sit-ups and stretching exercises.
‘This is a wonderful tradition, and we’re bringing it back,” Trump said of the fitness test that began in 1966 but was phased out during the Obama administration.
