On Saturday afternoon, the Philadelphia Eagles pulled off an upset win after defeating the Atlanta Falcons during the NFL playoffs. After Kellyanne Conway sent out a tweet in support the Eagles, those who oppose the administration wasted no time firing back.
Conway on NFL
For years in the United States, sports was often used as an escape for millions of Americans who wanted to invest their time in something beyond their control.
Whether it's to cheer or boo, getting involved with sports as either a player or spectator gave people the unique alternative to shut off the "real world" problems in order to check out in the form of athletic competition. Despite this, politics has landed in the sports headlines, most notably over Donald Trump's recent remarks about football players being a "son of a b*tch" after many protested during the playing of the national anthem as a way to bring attention to racial injustice and police brutality. Trump's comments didn't go over well, which resulted in harsh words, and even a boycott, by many conservatives.
During a tweet on January 13, Kellyanne Conway celebrated the playoff win of her favorite NFL team the Philadelphia Eagles, much to the chagrin of her critics.
Following the Eagles win over the Falcons, Presidential Counsel Kellyanne Conway sent out a short and sweet message on Twitter. "FlyEaglesFly. One step closer to Super Bow lLII," Conway tweeted out. While the post was innocent, the reaction from critics was as expected in the current political climate.
Conway criticism
It didn't take long for Kellyanne Conway to receive backlash after her tweet about the Eagle's victory. "Don’t ruin this for us," one tweet read.
"I have been a lifelong Eagles fan. It is depressing to find we have something in common," one Twitter user wrote.
"Kelly is doing the team from under the desk," another tweet added. "Can almost guarantee they don't want your support," a follow-up tweet read.
"Now I want the eagles to make it to the Super Bowl, announce beforehand they are playing in your honor, then give you the finger before the anthem and take a knee during," an additional tweet stated. "Won't your boss be mad that you're watching these players who 'betray' the flag or is that not an issue covered in the contract for your soul?" a Twitter user wondered. The backlash continued to pour in as the world of sports and politics shows no signs of separating at any point in the near future, regardless of the sport and fandom involved.