Upworthy’s book GOOD PEOPLE is coming this year — pre-order now!

Shop
 Explore 

new england patriots

Every year, the winning NFL Super Bowl team gets to visit the White House and meet the president. It's supposed to be a great honor.

The champion New England Patriots got their tour on April 19, 2017 — only this year, there were some notable absences from some of the team's big-name players.

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images.

Some wouldn't say why they chose to pass on the invite — to be fair, many longtime Patriots players have visited the White House before — while others were ... less subtle in their reasoning.

Speaking to CNN, Patriots player Alan Branch said he skipped the trip because of the "disgusting" way that Donald Trump talks about women. "I have no interest in going and shaking his hand," Branch explained. "I've gotta [be able to] go back home and look my daughters in the eye."

Jacoby Brissett, a young third-string quarterback, had his own reason for accepting the White House invite.

Brissett was humbled by the opportunity to visit Washington and sat down before the visit to write a letter to the president.

Just not this president.

While at the White House, Brissett paused for a pic near a photo of former President Barack Obama that he posted to Instagram along with a moving open letter.

"I want to thank you for what you have done for this country — outside of politics," Brissett begins his letter.

"Honestly, I don't know enough about politics to judge what was good or bad, but I want you to know that when you said 'Yes We Can' — a young man dreaming a dream from rough circumstances in Florida heard you."

Dear Big O, I am writing you this letter to say thank you. I want to thank you for what you have done for this country – outside of politics. Honestly, I don't know enough about politics to judge what was good or bad, but I want you to know that when you said "Yes We Can" – a young man dreaming a dream from rough circumstances in Florida heard you. When you were elected President for the first time I was 16 and I watched you make the never-imaginable, attainable and I heard your cry to inspire hope. I used those words as motivation and saw your achievement as an opportunity and permission to work make my dreams come true too. You were the President of the United States – the highest office in the world. You broke a barrier and a stereotype proving not every minority has to use a ball to make a way. You've inspired a lifetime of dreamers young and old. Now, kids from my community – and my future children – will know that there is no dream too big – even they could be the President of the United States. As I prepare for the honor of visiting the White House, I will be there as a Super Bowl Champion – and I will think of you, mainly because the White House is a different, and better place because you lived there. I was a kid that came from nothing and I am living out one of the greatest dreams of my life. I am just grateful for the opportunity to walk on the same steps as you did, and to have a platform to inspire and I hope to leave my mark on history the way you did. One day, when I meet you, I will shake your hand and say thank you to your face but until then this kid is going to continue to dream until I can’t anymore. Thank you for blazing a trail, but for more than that, for leaving a paved road behind you for others to climb on. The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your DREAMS - Oprah Yes we can!! DREAM BIG!! Thank you, Jacoby Brissett P.S Holla at me to help you with your broke jump shot
A post shared by Jacoby Brissett (@jbrissett7) on Apr 19, 2017 at 2:17pm PDT

You can read the full text of Brissett's letter below:

"Dear Big O, I am writing you this letter to say thank you.

I want to thank you for what you have done for this country – outside of politics. Honestly, I don't know enough about politics to judge what was good or bad, but I want you to know that when you said "Yes We Can" — a young man dreaming a dream from rough circumstances in Florida heard you.

When you were elected President for the first time I was 16 and I watched you make the never-imaginable, attainable and I heard your cry to inspire hope. I used those words as motivation and saw your achievement as an opportunity and permission to work make my dreams come true too. You were the President of the United States — the highest office in the world. You broke a barrier and a stereotype proving not every minority has to use a ball to make a way. You've inspired a lifetime of dreamers young and old. Now, kids from my community — and my future children — will know that there is no dream too big — even they could be the President of the United States.

As I prepare for the honor of visiting the White House, I will be there as a Super Bowl Champion – and I will think of you, mainly because the White House is a different, and better place because you lived there. I was a kid that came from nothing and I am living out one of the greatest dreams of my life. I am just grateful for the opportunity to walk on the same steps as you did, and to have a platform to inspire and I hope to leave my mark on history the way you did.

One day, when I meet you, I will shake your hand and say thank you to your face but until then this kid is going to continue to dream until I can’t anymore. Thank you for blazing a trail, but for more than that, for leaving a paved road behind you for others to climb on. The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your DREAMS — Oprah Yes we can!! DREAM BIG!! Thank you, Jacoby Brissett P.S Holla at me to help you with your broke jump shot"

The letter went viral on social media because it's a message we all desperately need to hear.

There's no "throwing shade" at the sitting president. No doom and gloom. Just pure appreciation for how far we've come and for the hard work and relentless spirit of a man who has inspired so many.

It's a testament to the power of representation, to the impact of seeing yourself reflected in your leaders and what that can motivate new generations to accomplish.

"As I prepare for the honor of visiting the White House," Brisset's letter concludes, "I will be there as a Super Bowl Champion — and I will think of you, mainly because the White House is a different and better place because you lived there."

Sometimes it feels like we're going backward as a country, and it can be easy to forget the strides we made when we elected our first black president. But Jacoby Brissett hasn't forgotten, and neither have millions of other young people like him.

I've watched every Patriots game since 1991. But I can't this Sunday.

I've watched or attended every New England Patriot's game since 1991. I won't be doing either this Sunday.

Image by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images.

Ever since I can remember, I've been a New England Patriots fan. For a long time, the Patriots were a very bad football team. They were the laughing stock of the league. I spent many a winter on cold metal benches angry at my brother for dragging me to see an awful performance every other Sunday.

All that changed though with the arrival of head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady. Four Super Bowls and a few controversies later, the legend of the greatest coach-player duo is still growing on the gridiron.

Image by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images.

Bill Belichick is a genius on the football field. But something changed for me when he publicly endorsed the now president-elect.

On the eve of the election, Trump spoke at a rally in New Hampshire and read out loud a letter written by Belichick. In it, Belichick praised the candidate's perseverance and work ethic, and he enthusiastically, publicly supported Trump's candidacy.

Image by Scott Eisen/Getty Images.

Brady was also pulled into it. His wife, Gisele Bündchen, reportedly dispelled the myth that they had already voted for him.

This all shocked me to the core. Then when Trump won, it sparked a series of personal reflections like never before. After 350 games of unwavering support, I now needed to step away from my team.

It may seem like a small, silly protest and have you thinking, "It's just football," but the emotions felt by many, many groups are real and palpable.

I need time to reconcile the fact that Belichick publicly supported someone who has spouted so much hate. It's been terribly difficult trying to explain this to my friends.

I have a bunch of text "chat rooms" where my closest friends and I chew the fat on a myriad of subjects. To be clear, they're all wonderful humans and I'm lucky to have them as a support system.

After the election, some of them weren't as worried about what could happen to the freedoms of minorities, women, Muslims, and the LGBTQ community. While I admire that practical mentality, I was shocked. Then, I realized why I felt the way I did.

I'm the only person of color in this conversation. We never talked about it and we didn't address it.

It was hard to try to explain my palpable fear to them. It was difficult to express my emotional state after witnessing a campaign filled with divisive racism, sexism, homophobia, fear mongering, and the marginalization of all non-white people. I gently tried, but privately, I cried.

Sports are part of the fabric of who I am, but for now, I have to rip it off like velcro.

Sports are my escape. They're a way for me to remember my hometown. But right now, watching the Patriots isn't either of those things. I need to step away. This is not a condemnation of the team. This is not a condemnation of New England. I am proud of my city, and I love my friends.

As far as Bill Belichick and the Patriots go, however, I need them to understand supporting this kind of candidatehas questioned my allegiance to a team I've grown to love over the past 25 years.

Image by Jim Rogash/ Getty Images.

There are bigger things than the game.

We don't know if those statements and proposed policies of mass-deportation, profiling, wall building, rescinding basic human rights, and disregard for sexual assault are going to become normalized in America. I need time to process it all.

There is much more to worry about than a football game, so I'm going to step away, gain some clarity, and prepare myself for the next four years. And maybe, perhaps, the playoffs.

I hope to do this again. Photo by Shane Kennedy.

Why more NFL players are protesting during the national anthem — in their own words.

When San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick sat on the bench during the national anthem before an August preseason game against Green Bay, he was the only one.

Photo by Robert Reiners/Getty Images.

"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," the quarterback told NFL.com following the game.

What started as a lone player's attempt to spark a conversation about police overreach and violence rapidly became the subject of national attention and debate, leaving many wondering: What would happen when the season began in earnest? Would the quarterback continue to sit alone?

In week one, Kaepernick's protest was joined by nearly a dozen players around the league.

Some, like Miami Dolphins running back Arian Foster, took a knee during the anthem. Others, like Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Marcus Peters, raised their fists in the air, echoing John Carlos and Tommie Smith's iconic protest from the 1968 Summer Olympics.

According to Robert Kelmko of Sports Illustrated's MMQB, over 70 current and former players are "discussing and debating" Kaepernick's act and possible next steps via text.

Some commentators — and even a few of their teammates — have criticized the protesters for disrespecting the flag and veterans. But for many of the players showing solidarity, their message is too important to waste the moment.

new england patriots

While visiting Trump's White House, this NFL player posted a powerful letter to Obama.

Every year, the winning NFL Super Bowl team gets to visit the White House and meet the president. It's supposed to be a great honor.

Jacoby Brissett, a young third-string quarterback, had his own reason for accepting the White House invite.

You can read the full text of Brissett's letter below:

The letter went viral on social media because it's a message we all desperately need to hear.

I've watched every Patriots game since 1991. But I can't this Sunday.

I've watched or attended every New England Patriot's game since 1991. I won't be doing either this Sunday.

Bill Belichick is a genius on the football field. But something changed for me when he publicly endorsed the now president-elect.

I need time to reconcile the fact that Belichick publicly supported someone who has spouted so much hate. It's been terribly difficult trying to explain this to my friends.

I'm the only person of color in this conversation. We never talked about it and we didn't address it.

Sports are part of the fabric of who I am, but for now, I have to rip it off like velcro.

There are bigger things than the game.

Why more NFL players are protesting during the national anthem — in their own words.

When San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick sat on the bench during the national anthem before an August preseason game against Green Bay, he was the only one.

In week one, Kaepernick's protest was joined by nearly a dozen players around the league.

Here's why they're doing it, in their own words:

Many spoke about their desire to use their position in the public eye to keep the conversation going about the role of police in communities of color.

A few team executives have criticized Kaepernick. But one owner — Miami Dolphins' Steve Ross — stood up for his players' right to speak their minds:

And the man who started it all? He'd rather do what critics are asking him to do. On one condition:

American woman forced to change her name after learning what it means in Australia

Dentist explains the 3 times you should never brush your teeth

SNL sketch about George Washington's dream for America hailed an 'instant classic'

6 alternatives to saying 'let me know if you need anything' to someone in crisis

13 side-by-side portraits of people over 100 with their younger selves

A story about two pairs of boots illustrates how rich people get richer in ways poor people can't

new england patriots

Every year, the winning NFL Super Bowl team gets to visit the White House and meet the president. It's supposed to be a great honor.

Jacoby Brissett, a young third-string quarterback, had his own reason for accepting the White House invite.

You can read the full text of Brissett's letter below:

The letter went viral on social media because it's a message we all desperately need to hear.

​​I've watched or attended every New England Patriot's game since 1991. I won't be doing either this Sunday.

Bill Belichick is a genius on the football field. But something changed for me when he publicly endorsed the now president-elect.

I need time to reconcile the fact that Belichick publicly supported someone who has spouted so much hate. It's been terribly difficult trying to explain this to my friends.

I'm the only person of color in this conversation. We never talked about it and we didn't address it.

Sports are part of the fabric of who I am, but for now, I have to rip it off like velcro.

There are bigger things than the game.

When San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick sat on the bench during the national anthem before an August preseason game against Green Bay, he was the only one.

In week one, Kaepernick's protest was joined by nearly a dozen players around the league.

Here's why they're doing it, in their own words:

Many spoke about their desire to use their position in the public eye to keep the conversation going about the role of police in communities of color.

A few team executives have criticized Kaepernick. But one owner — Miami Dolphins' Steve Ross — stood up for his players' right to speak their minds:

And the man who started it all? He'd rather do what critics are asking him to do. On one condition:

I've watched or attended every New England Patriot's game since 1991. I won't be doing either this Sunday.