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Steelers’ Offensive Lineman Apologizes For Standing Alone During The National Anthem

There was a reason why he was alone.

 Tod Perry
09.26.17

Week three was an eventful one for the NFL. On Friday, President Donald Trump called NFL players who protest police brutality by sitting during the national anthem “sons of bitches” who should be fired. This resulted in dozens of players taking a knee during the pre-game ceremonies in days following.

Starting Pittsburgh Steelers left tackle Alejandro Villanueva received a lot of attention for standing in the tunnel with his hand over his heart during the anthem while his teammates stayed in the locker room.

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Villanueva is a former Army Ranger who earned a Bronze Star medal and served three tours in Afghanistan. After his service, he joined the Philadelphia Eagles and then the Steelers in 2014.

Many fans responded positively to his gesture by purchasing his jersey, a rarity for an offensive lineman. Fanatics, the company that runs the NFL’s online store, said that Villanueva’s jersey was the most popular sold between Sunday and Monday. Even though he’s received some positive responses for his decision, Villanueva issued an apology on Monday.

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To avoid any on-field controversy, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin asked his team to remain in the locker room during the national anthem on Sunday. “I was looking for 100 percent participation,” Tomlin said in a post-game press conference. “We were gonna be respectful of our football team.” Villanueva wasn’t bothered by kneeling teammates and said many have of those who did have expressed gratitude for his military service.

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Sports

A new PSA smartly reveals just how dangerous tackle football is for kids

When former Pittsburgh Steelers' center Mike Webster committed suicide in 2002, his death began to raise awareness of the brain damage experienced by NFL football players. A 2017 study found that 99% of deceased NFL players had a degenerative brain disease known as CTE. Only one out of 111 former football players had no sign of CTE. It turns out, some of the risks of traumatic brain injury experienced by heavily padded adults playing at a professional level also exist for kids with developing brains playing at a recreational level. The dangers might not be as intense as what the adults go through, but it can have some major life-long consequences.

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5 of the most powerful quotes from Michael Moore’s viral Facebook post about Joker

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Before the release of "The Joker" there was a glut of stories in the media about the film's potential to incite violence.

The FBI issued a warning, saying the film may inspire violence from a group known as the Clowncels, a subgroup of the involuntarily celibate or Incel community.

Incels an online subculture who believe they are unable to attract a sexual partner. The American nonprofit Southern Poverty Law Center describes them as "part of the online male supremacist ecosystem" that is included in its list of hate groups.

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