During today’s pre-game show on CBS, reporter Jamie Erdahl spoke with Steelers coach Mike Tomlin who said that the team will not participate in today’s national anthem ceremonies and will instead stay in the locker room until the opening kickoff a day after President Trump made incendiary comments about national anthem protesters.
Tomlin went on to say that the team will stay in the locker room during the anthem because the team was not “going to play politics” and wanted to remove themselves from making players to choose sides.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin reveals to @JamieErdahl that the team will not be participating in today's national anthem. pic.twitter.com/5zihPWQsMv
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) September 24, 2017
We’re not going to play politics. We’re football players, we’re football coaches,” “We’re not participating in the anthem today – not to be disrespectful to the anthem, but to remove ourselves from the circumstance.
“People shouldn’t have to choose. If a guy wants to go about his normal business and participate in the anthem, he shouldn’t be forced to choose sides. If a guy feels the need to do something, he shouldn’t be separated from his teammate who chooses not to.”