Jalen Hurts and several Philadelphia Eagles team-mates players skipped a reception with US President Donald Trump at the White House to celebrate their Super Bowl victory.
Star quarterback Hurts, 26, and other players had "scheduling conflicts", a White House official said.
The invitation was optional for players to attend, and less than half the team showed up on Monday.
Philadelphia beat the the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 in New Orleans in February.
Despite Hurts' absence, Trump praised the Super Bowl's Most Valuable Player as a "terrific guy and terrific player".
"[The] Eagles have turned out to be an incredible team, an incredible group," he added.