After President Trump made comments over the weekend that players should be “suspended or fired” for protesting the national anthem, the decided to sit out the national anthem.
Head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters before Sunday’s game in Chicago against the Bears that his team wouldn’t be participating in the anthem because
“(It’s) not to be disrespectful to the anthem, but it’s to remove ourselves from the circumstance. People shouldn’t have to choose. If a guy wants to go about his normal business and participate for the anthem, he shouldn’t have to be forced to choose sides,” Tomlin told CBS.
During the anthem, Tomlin and a handful of coaches stood on a largely empty Pittsburgh sideline without any players. However, one Steeler emerged from the locker room in order to stand for the national anthem.
Alejandro Villanueva stood in the tunnel to the Pittsburgh locker room with his hand over his heart while the “Star Spangled Banner” played.
Read the full story at
