Dez Bryant sounds off after Saquon Barkley faces heat over Donald Trump outing

Former NFL star Dez Bryant leaped to the defense of Saquon Barkley. This is after the Philadelphia Eagles running back was criticized for playing golf with President Donald Trump.

Fresh off winning Super Bowl LIX against the Kansas City Chiefs, Barkley has been named the AP Offensive Player of the Year. He currently plays for the Philadelphia Eagles.

The row started when Barkley was seen hanging out with President Trump at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, on Sunday. This was a day before the Eagles' White House visit to commemorate their Super Bowl win

"How are y'all going to get mad at Saquon Barkley over his personal choice?" Bryant posted on X on Monday

Pictures circulated on social media showing Barkley and Trump at the golf course, followed by footage of them disembarking from Marine One in New Jersey. According to reports from CNN, Trump approached reporters at the airport, calling Barkley "a nice guy" and joking that he "wanted to race him, but decided not to do it."

The Eagles team had once before refused to go to the White House after winning their 2018 Super Bowl during Trump's first term. This led to Trump revoking their invitation and wrongly accusing players of disrespecting the national anthem.

This time, however, the Eagles officially accepted the White House invitation. Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie recently called the celebratory White House visit a "time-honored tradition" while noting that participation is "optional" for team members.

Saquon Barkley claps back at fans

NFL: Super Bowl LIX Philadelphia Eagles Championship Parade - Source: Imagn

Saquon Barkley himself responded to critics on the same day:

"lol some people are really upset cause I played golfed and flew to the White House with the PRESIDENT," Saquon Barkley wrote on X. "Maybe I just respect the office, not a hard concept to understand. Just golfed with Obama not too long ago…and look forward to finishing my round with Trump ! Now ya get out my mentions with all this politics and have amazing day."

This isn't Barkley's first time golfing with a president. Last October, he played golf with former President Barack Obama at Merion Golf Club in Pennsylvania. Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie joined that outing, while quarterback Jalen Hurts walked the course but didn't play due to contract restrictions.

The White House ceremony for the Eagles was scheduled for Monday, April 28, at 4 p.m. ET on the South Lawn, according to the president's public calendar.