Villanueva said sorry for his choice to stand alone, saying he felt “ashamed” due to the fact that it made “the organization look bad, my coach look bad, and my teammates look bad.”.
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” As a company, and myself as the head coach of the company, were going to support our gamers however they picked to participate and express themselves, or to not get involved or not express themselves, as long as they do so thoughtfully and with class,” said Tomlin Tuesday throughout an interview. Tomlin added that Villanuevas option didnt call for an explanation.
This isnt the very first time the veteran lineman openly broke away from a teams allegedly merged choice for his own reasons. At the start of the 2017 season, he was the only Steelers gamer to leave the locker room and represent the nationwide anthem after Tomlin stated the group would remain behind to prevent making a declaration–” Whatever we do, were going to do 100 percent. Were going to do it together.”.
Steelers offensive lineman Alejandro Villanueva selected to cover the name of authorities shooting victim Antwon Rose Jr. on the back of his helmet throughout Pittsburghs video game versus the Giants on Monday. Villanueva picked rather to write the name Alwyn Cashe, a veteran who passed away throughout the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2005.
As the NFL has actually permitted players to use helmet decals honoring the victims of systemic racism, the Steelers chose as a group to honor Rose– a Black teen shot in the back by a white police officer in Pittsburgh in 2018 after he ran from a car that was pulled over– for the whole of the season. The now-former East Pittsburgh officer was charged with murder, but a jury found him innocent in March 2019.
Villanueva, a previous Army Ranger who served 3 tours in Afghanistan, chose to break from the team and replace Roses name with Cashes, a Sgt. 1st Class who died after trying to rescue soldiers from a burning vehicle in Iraq. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday that he authorized of his players decision.
