Numerous Pittsburgh Steelers fans have posted videos of themselves burning their Steelers gear after the entire team except for one player decided to stay in the locker room during the national anthem before Sunday’s game.
Although coach Mike Tomlin said in a statement the players were trying not to “play politics” by staying in the locker room, a large number of fans read the action as disrespectful to the flag and all it represents.
CBS Pittsburgh noted multiple videos from fans burning Steelers jerseys appeared on various social media sites as well as YouTube.
Jim Heaney posted a YouTube video of himself throwing Steelers gear onto a fire and telling viewers about his decision. “I’m a lifelong Steelers fan, not anymore,” Heaney said. At the end of the video, he added, “There you go, goodbye Pittsburgh Steelers, burn in hell, Semper Fi.”
Robert Williams of Texas also burned his gear in front of the camera.
“We have morals in this country. We stand for this country,” Williams said in his YouTube video. “My great-uncle’s bones are lying in the bottom of Pearl Harbor. For this country, for the flag, for your freedom to play in the NFL and to say whatever you want to say. But you do not disrespect the flag and the country and the Constitution. So watch this stuff burn.”
Alejandro Villanueva was the lone Steelers player to come out of the locker room and stand for the national anthem on Sunday. Villanueva is a former U.S. Army Ranger.
On Monday, ESPN reporter Darren Rovell said on Twitter that Villanueva jerseys and T-shirts were the top-selling NFL merchandise in the previous 24 hours.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.