Prior to their 23-17 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday, the Pittsburgh Steelers.
decided as a team to stay in the locker room for the playing of the national anthem. This choice may have caused tension among the players.
According to several individuals Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com spoke with after the game on Monday, “tension was palpable” in the locker room.
According to Jacob Klinger of PennLive.com, the Steelers players debated three alternatives for what to do during the national anthem: they could stand or kneel as a group, or they might leave the field entirely.
Chris Hubbard, the offensive tackle, and Coty Sensabaugh, the cornerback, informed Klinger that the third selection prevailed by a slim margin.
Alejandro Villanueva, an offensive tackle for the United States Army Rangers, was the only player to remain outside the tunnel during his three tours of duty in Afghanistan. Reporters were subsequently informed by him that although he had moved outside the tunnel and motioned for his comrades to follow, they were “essentially unable to exit.”
Reporters were informed by Villanueva that he had only discussed his plan with “the team leadership” and that nobody else on the squad knew about it.
“So unwillingly, I made a mistake,” he stated. “I hope my teammates realize that I spoke with them about the problem. If not, I will still have to put up with it because this discussion is generating a lot of very strong reactions from players’ supporters.
