What's the latest on a White House visit for the national champion Georgia football team?

Marc Weiszer, Athens Banner-Herald
·3 min read
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Apr 15, 2013; Washington, D.C., USA; United States president Barack Obama poses for photographs with the BCS College Football Champions Alabama Crimson Tide team at the White House. Mandatory Credit: H.Darr Beiser-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 15, 2013; Washington, D.C., USA; United States president Barack Obama poses for photographs with the BCS College Football Champions Alabama Crimson Tide team at the White House. Mandatory Credit: H.Darr Beiser-USA TODAY Sports

The Georgia football team didn’t visit the White House after its 2021 national championship season.

The Bulldogs could still get that chance after its 2022 team made it back-to-back titles.

Georgia’s congressional delegation from both sides of the aisle and two Democratic Senators signed a letter to President Joe Biden on Jan. 18 requesting a White House ceremony “at your earliest convenience.”

Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-Ga.) said in a statement to the Athens Banner-Herald Tuesday through his spokesperson: “I’m optimistic that the Bulldogs will be invited to the White House, which is well deserved after back-to-back football national championship wins.”

Carter’s office put out a press release, Jan. 23 saying he led the bipartisan effort to get the Georgia football team to the White House.

Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks said earlier this month when asked about a White House visit:  “You know, I don’t know. I did see the request made, and we’re going to kind of just sit and see what happens from there. I don’t think I’ve seen a response yet, but we’ll kind of take it day by day and see how that goes.”

The NBA champion Golden State Warriors visited with Biden at the White House last month. The World Series champion Atlanta Braves went last September.

Georgia was not hosted in Washington after winning in January of 2022 due to COVID-19 restrictions, "adding to the importance of this visit for the repeat champions," the letter last month said.

"It is our hope that this repeat championship team can join the many teams prior that have been honored by the President. Thank you for your attention to this matter," the bicameral letter said. "We hope you will join us in recognizing the tremendous achievements of all University of Georgia’s football players, coaches, and staff who contributed to this championship season."

Georgia defensive lineman Warren Brinson tweeted Monday: No invite to the White House is crazy @POTUS”

The White House did not return a message last week for comment on a possible visit.

A resolution introduced by Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock from Georgia congratulating the Bulldogs on winning the national title passed last month.

"Congrats to Coach Smart and the Bulldogs,” Ossoff said in a news release then. “Go Dawgs! Let’s make it three in a row.”

“I want to wish a big congratulations to Coach Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs on winning a second straight national championship," Warnock said. “You make Georgia proud today and every day and I’m happy our bipartisan resolution celebrating Georgia Football’s resilience and dominance made it to the endzone. Go Dawgs!”

Others who joined Carter, Warnock and Ossoff in signing the letter to Biden included Reps. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson (D-GA), Austin Scott (R-GA), Sanford Bishop (D-GA), Rick Allen (R-GA), Nikema Williams (D-GA), Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), David Scott (D-GA), Drew Ferguson (R-GA), Lucy McBath (D-GA), Andrew Clyde (R-GA), Mike Collins (R-GA), and Rich McCormick, M.D. (R-GA).

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Here's the latest on a possible White House visit for Georgia football