Brendon Ayanbadejo criticized Matt Birk's decision to skip the White House visit this week, saying he would have been glad to meet President George Bush even though he didn't support him.
"It’s a once in a lifetime experience," he said in an appearance on SportsCenter on Friday morning. "I don’t see how anyone could ever miss that experience to go and see President Obama."
Anquan Boldin, Bernard Pollard and Cary Williams also skipped the event, though for different reasons. Birk, on a Minnesota radio show Thursday morning, said he couldn't attend because he was offended by comments Obama made about Planned Parenthood earlier this year.
"I didn't support President George Bsuh but still out of respect I'd love to meet him, I'd love to shake his hand, it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience," Ayanbadejo said.
Ayanbadejo, now a free agent, said his best moment during the visit was when Obama spoke to him about his vocal support for the LGBT community.
"For me personally when he addressed me, he told me he respected and appreciated my stance on equality and it really just hit home," he said. "I gave him a hug and a handshake and that's a moment I'll never forget."
Ayanbadejo said he will head back from his SportsCenter appearance to Baltimore on a Southwest Airlines flight to attend the ring ceremony Friday night.
Despite being a Super Bowl champion, he said he was in boarding class C.
