Adrees Latif/Reuters
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady released a statement Wednesday announcing that he won't be attending a White House celebration to honor his team’s Super Bowl win. “Our team has accomplished something very special that we are all proud of and will be for years to come,” he wrote. “Thank you to the president for hosting this honorary ceremony and for supporting our team for as long as I can remember. In light of some recent developments, I am unable to attend today’s ceremony, as I am attending to some personal family matters. Hopefully, if we accomplish the goal of winning a championship in the future years, we will back on the South Lawn again soon.” At least six of Brady’s team members have opted out of the ceremony, some for political reasons. Tom Brady's mother, Galynn, is battling cancer. She attended only one game this season, and it was the Super Bowl.