Steelers Alejandro Villanueva: ‘I Threw My Teammates Under The Bus Unintentionally’CBS Pittsburg, Sep 25, 2017
Pittsburgh Steelers lineman Alejandro Villanueva says the national anthem ordeal got out of control and he is taking the blame.
“Unfortunately, I threw my teammates under the bus, unintentionally,” Villanueva said. “Every single time I see that picture of me, standing by myself, I feel embarrassed,” Villanueva said in a press conference Monday.
Villanueva was the only Steelers player standing outside the tunnel for the national anthem before their game Sunday against the Chicago Bears.
Villanueva says he asked quarterback Ben Roethlisberger if he could be out in front with the captains during the national anthem and they agreed to it, but when he went to the front of the tunnel to see the flag, he went too far unintentionally.
“When we came out of the locker room into that tunnel, it was a very small area. There was a flag or something coming off the field so there were a bunch of Bears’ fans, coming off the field holding that going in front of us, so it kind of held us up,” Villanueva said.
The rest of the team remained in the tunnel.
“I made my teammates look bad, and that is my fault, and my fault only,” Villanueva said. “We as a team tried to figure it out, but obviously butchered it.”
During his press conference, the former Army Ranger says he is absolutely okay if teammates kneel or sit during the national anthem.
“People that are taking a knee are not saying anything negative about the military, they’re not saying anything negative about the flag, they’re just trying to protest that there are some injustices in America,” Villanueva said.
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