Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison was the first athlete to bypass two US presidents - President Bush in 2006 and President Obama in 2009.
"This is how I feel -- if you want to see the Pittsburgh Steelers, invite us when we don't win the Super Bowl. As far as I'm concerned, he would've invited Arizona if they had won," Harrison told WTAE Channel 4 in 2009.
Other athletes, including NBA superstar Grant Hill, criticized Harrison’s stance.
"Personally, I wouldn't care who the president is or if I saw eye-to-eye with him politically. The chance to be honored at the White House is an opportunity most people will never get to experience," Hill told ESPN, the Huffington Post reports.
