The Steelers decided to stay in the tunnel in order to avoid getting involved in the politics around the National Anthem on Sunday.

Fans told WTAJ that they believe it was disrespectful to not come out for the anthem at all. The fans applauded offensive linemen and former army ranger Alejandro Villanueva for stepping out and standing for the anthem. They wish the rest of the team would have followed suit.

Steelers fan Jordan Albarano said, “Politics should stay out of football. It’s for entertainment There are plenty of other channels, CNN is for politics. Other channels are for football.”

He continued, “The best way to do it was to just stand during the National Anthem and then maybe over social media express their other feelings towards it rather than the way they did. Personally, they had the ability to do that,”  

Kyle Pressel of Martinsburg said, “For them to not stand there and basically support our troops is like a major slap in the face.”

For the players that protest the anthem, Pressel said, “Either cut them from the team or cut their salaries make them see that were a country of people that are proud to be American. With them doing that it’s just a slap in the face.”