Tom Brady skips Patriots visit to White House where Obama makes deflategate joke

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Brady cited 'prior family commitments' in bowing out of meeting with Obama
Has been to the White House to meet President George W. Bush for previous Super Bowl wins

By Michael Zennie For Daily Mail Online

Published: 13:07 EST, 23 April 2015 | Updated: 08:25 EST, 24 April 2015

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President Barack Obama invited the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots to the White House on Thursday - but couldn't help but get one last deflategate joke in.

The president opened his speech on the South Lawn by remarking 'that whole (deflategate) story got blown out of proportion,' referring to an investigation that 11 out of 12 footballs used in the AFC Championship game were under-inflated.

But then came the zinger: 'I usually tell a bunch of jokes at these events, but with the Patriots in town I was worried that 11 out of 12 of them would fall flat.'

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Boo! Hiss! President Barack Obama elicited groans and a thumbs down from head coach Bill Belichick after cracking a deflategate joke while honoring the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots

Obama also quipped that he wished Chicago could learn something from Boston's championship-winning ways

Disapproval rating: Head coach Bill Belichick gives the thumbs down after Obama cracked a de-flate gate joke that left the whole team groaning

Obama received a custom jersey and a custom football from the team at the White House on Thursday

Obama makes Deflategate joke as he welcomes the Patriots

The Patriots assembled behind him groaned. Coach Bill Belichick, who is notoriously humorless, responded by giving the president a thumbs down.

Obama was flanked by Belichick and billionaire Patriots owner Bob Kraft. Missing from the occasion, though was the Super Bowl MVP and the team's biggest star - Tom Brady.

A spokesman for the team cited 'prior family commitments' as the reason Brady, 37, didn't attend the ceremony.

Sports commentators, including retired football great Boomer Esiason, speculated that Brady snubbed Obama because he's from the 'wrong political party.'

The superstar athlete has been to the White House before. He does have three other Super Bowl rings, afterall.

But all the prior championships were under the Bush Administration. February's win was the first for the Patriots since Obama took office.

Brady has also met Obama at least once before, as well. He was pictured with the then-US Senator at the 2005 White House Correspondents dinner.

Showoffs: The New England Patriots gathered the team's four Super Bowl trophies won under Coach Bill Belichick (right, next to President Barack Obama).

Brady won his fourth Super Bowl ring in February - and his first since President Obama took office

Tom Brady met President Barack Obama at least once. He is pictured here with the then-US Senator and rival quarterback Donovan McNabb in 2005

It's not clear what Brady's prior commitment was. His supermodel wife Gisele Bündchen, usually active on social media, gives no hint where the family is today if not in Washington.

Brady led the Patriots to his fourth Super Bowl victory in February after defeating the Seattle Seahawks 28-24.

Despite his arm and movement being somewhat diminished by age, Brady's leadership and calm under pressure also won him Super Bowl MVP - his third.

Whatever is taking up Brady's time this week, he made time next week to be ringside at the Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Manny Pacquiao fight in Las Vegas next weekend.

According to Sport Illustrated, Brady appealed directly to CBS president Les Moonves for tickets to the much-touted matchup.