Steelers’ Pouncey on new NFL anthem policy: ‘Follow the rules’
PITTSBURGH 无毛视频� Alejandro Villanueva dismissed a mob of reporters and a phalanx of TV cameras Thursday with an 无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 not here for clickbait无毛视频� comment as he walked on down the hall.
The large group of reporters attended the Steelers无毛视频� third OTA practice of the spring but came mainly to hear the normally eloquent Villanueva, an Army Ranger and war hero, discuss the new NFL rule requiring players to stand 无毛视频� if they come out of the locker room 无毛视频� for the national anthem.
If not, the team risks being fined.
NFL owners voted unanimously on Wednesday to approve the new rule.
While Villanueva passed on making comment, Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey, who unified the team last year with fiery commentary to the media, wasn无毛视频檛 nearly as shy.
无毛视频淔ollow the rules,无毛视频� Pouncey said Wednesday. 无毛视频淭hey无毛视频檝e got other rules that everybody follows. That无毛视频檚 the way I look at it. I stand up for the anthem.无毛视频�
The Steelers created a storm of controversy last year when they 无毛视频� in reaction to Donald Trump无毛视频檚 Sept. 21 commentary regarding those protesting police brutality by taking a knee during the anthem 无毛视频� decided to stay in the locker room because 无毛视频淲e were not going to play politics,无毛视频� according to Mike Tomlin.
But Villanueva slipped out of the tunnel in Chicago by about 20 feet to get a glimpse of the flag as he stood with hand over heart. He was photographed as separate from the team and the Steelers subsequently became a lightning rod for criticism.
Pouncey put an end to the controversy when he addressed the media three days after the loss to the Bears with a fiery, 无毛视频淭rust me, this team will be out there standing!无毛视频� for the ensuing game in Baltimore.
The Steelers all stood that day and remained unified and standing throughout the remainder of the season. The unifier, Pouncey, doesn无毛视频檛 see a reason to change this season.
无毛视频淣o one无毛视频檚 going to stay in the locker room,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淭his team, we all came out last year and stood. We don无毛视频檛 have that problem on this team. For us, it无毛视频檚 going to be the same.无毛视频�
As he said last year, the time to make political statements is any day other than game day.
无毛视频淲e无毛视频檙e going to go out there and follow the rules,无毛视频� Pouncey said. 无毛视频淚f we were going to do anything, it无毛视频檚 going to be on the off days. On Sundays or Mondays we无毛视频檙e going to play football. Stand for the flag.无毛视频�