Michael Strahan has taken to social media to offer a heartfelt apology following the backlash he received for not placing his hand over his heart during the national anthem.
The incident that sparked controversy happened during ‘FOX’s NFL Sunday’ when the broadcast was live from San Diego, featuring Strahan alongside Jay Glazer, Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, Curt Menefee, and others in front of US military personnel.
While the Star-Spangled Banner played, Strahan stood out as he had his arms crossed instead of the traditional hand-over-heart gesture. Critics on social media were quick to accuse the former New York Giants star of promoting an anti-military stance.
Addressing the uproar, Strahan posted an apology video on Instagram, where he also recounted a recent confrontation with the press at his home. “Everybody, it’s Michael here and I want to address what happened this past weekend,” Strahan starts in the video.
“And I feel like I need to address it because it’s spilled over to the point where I get out of my car today and I’m ambushed by a media outlet here at my house which – I’m not proud of the way I handled that whole situation – but I think anybody out there can understand the things you’re gonna do.
“You’re gonna protect your family and you’re gonna protect your home, which is what I felt like I needed to do in that moment and it all stemmed from this past weekend in San Diego with my FOX crew.”
“Two days in San Diego with the Navy SEALs and with all the other sailors there and then a two-hour show praising the military and all that they’ve done for us, celebrating Veterans Day and we had our national anthem.
“I didn’t have my hand over my chest everyone thought ‘He’s protesting, he’s making a statement,’ which is so far from the truth. I have nothing to protest; I have no statement to be made. The only statement that should be made, and that I want to make, is ‘I love the military.’
“I’ve always loved the military and I will always love the military. I do so many programs to help veterans and soldiers – I grew up on a military base with a father who’s a major in the army. My brother, my sister, my cousins, they all served in the military. I’m a military brat and so the fact of somebody saying that you know I’m unpatriotic couldn’t be any further from the truth.”
Along with explaining his military background and why he has no reason to disrespect the military, the 52-year-old gave fans an insight into what was going through his mind as he attempted to explain himself.
“And if you want the truth, I’ll tell you the truth is that I was caught up in the moment,” Strahan added. “I’m looking at all these young sailors standing there at attention before the national anthem played and I’m thinking to myself ‘How incredible.’
“How incredible to be that young and to know that you want to do this like it’s such a commitment but you’re willing to commit to something that you know gives us our freedoms’ plain and simple. I’m just sitting here in amazement, in which I’m always amazed because I don’t take it for granted no matter where we go around the world from Afghanistan to all the military institutions here in this country.
“And by the time I looked up from that moment, all my five guys had their hands over their hearts, the national anthem playing, I somewhat panic and I’m like ‘Do I be the fool that puts his hand over his heart after or do I just stand here with my hand in front of me respectfully? ‘ which that’s what I did. That’s what happened.”
Strahan offered an earnest apology, saying: “And if that offended any of our military and veterans, I apologize to you because that was never my intent. I’m a product of the military, a proud lover of the military, and proud lover of all those who served before now and who will serve in the future.”
While Strahan faced the wrath of fans, his ally Glazer took to social media to defend him, highlighting Strahan’s unpublicised charitable acts towards veterans. Glazer said: “With no fanfare I personally saw him donate thousands of dollars of clothes to veterans, including many homeless veterans as well clothes for veterans to go on job interview.
“I know these days people want to be angry fast but maybe first, how is THIS for a novel idea. ASK him if he’s protesting something. When you protest you want people to know, don’t ya?
“He was NOT, just got caught up in how beautiful the whole moment was during the anthem and didn’t think about it. Ask the dude before forming an angry mob, but also maybe find out alllll he’s done for our veterans over the years.”
This article first appeared on the Mirror US
