Former Steelers OT Alejandro Villanueva recounts viral National Anthem moment

Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Alejandro Villanueva (78) is the sole member of the team to stand in the open for the national anthem while his teammates remained in the tunnel before a game against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, Sept. 24, 2017, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Ill. (Erin Hooley/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Alejandro Villanueva has one of the best stories in NFL history. From doing multiple tours of Afghanistan to becoming a Pro Bowl offensive tackle, the former army ranger quickly became a fan-favorite in Pittsburgh due to his great play and for his service of his country.

Not only was Villanueva a Steelers fan favorite, he became a known figure league-wide in 2017. In the midst of the NFL’s National Anthem controversy, the Steelers didn’t take the field for the singing of the Star Spangled Banner ahead of their Week 3 contest against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. However, Villanueva came out of the tunnel to be present for the anthem, which led to him having the NFL’s highest-selling jersey in the 24 hours that followed.

Joining Todd Haley and I on The Pump Fake, Villanueva recounted that day.

“In Spain, my parents grew up in a dictatorship,” Villanueva said. “A military dictatorship… there’s not a single song that unites Spanish people. You cannot listen to anything that people will listen to and say, ‘I’m thankful.‘ So that’s how I started understanding American patriotism. It’s not nationalistic as in we believe America is better than everybody else. Americans really think that we are very thankful to be in America. That’s what’s so cool about it. People are watching the game from different socioeconomic backgrounds. You could be in the box and have billions of dollars or you can be in the nosebleeds counting your pennies for the eight beers you’ll be drinking. And those two people have this idea and this notion that they live in a wonderful magical place… the National Anthem is a very special song. I know it was a huge controversy and it was very confusing because we were getting ready for a game and we were debating morality… it was very intense.”

The Steelers went on to lose in overtime, which would be one of just three regular season loses that season. Villanueva earned his first of two consecutive Pro Bowl selections that season.

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