Pittsburgh Steelers’ Coach Tomlin Benches 2 Anthem Kneelers ‘On the Spot’?

On Oct. 24, 2023, SpaceXMania published an article positing that two players for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Stephon Tuitt and Derrick Mathews, had been benched by their coach, Mike Tomlin, for kneeling during the national anthem. The article frames these moves as uncharacteristic, both for Coach Tomlin, who they describe as being “renowned for his clear-cut coaching style and emphasis on team unity,” and the two players, who they claim do not usually participate in “such protests.” The article read:

This item was not a factual recounting of real-life events. The article originated with a website that describes its output as being humorous or satirical in nature. In addition to a “SATIRE” label above the article’s headline, SpaceXMania included the following disclaimer for readers:

The site’s Facebook account also posted the article, gaining approximately 48,000 likes and more than 2,600 shares at the time of this writing. Comments on the post show an overwhelming amount of support for Coach Tomlin’s “decision,” with one user writing “not a Steelers fan, but I do support this move. Good job Coach.”

Stephon Tuitt, one of the alleged “kneelers,” publicly announced on his Twitter (which is now private) in 2020 that he will not kneel for the national anthem, saying: “I’m not kneeling for the flag and screw anybody who have a problem with that.” According to Sports Illustrated, this was the first time any Steelers player had ever made an official statement regarding the choice to kneel during the national anthem.

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The site’s Facebook account also posted the article, gaining approximately 48,000 likes and more than 2,600 shares at the time of this writing. Comments on the post show an overwhelming amount of support for Coach Tomlin’s “decision,” with one user writing “not a Steelers fan, but I do support this move. Good job Coach.”

Stephon Tuitt, one of the alleged “kneelers,” publicly announced on his Twitter (which is now private) in 2020 that he will not kneel for the national anthem, saying: “I’m not kneeling for the flag and screw anybody who have a problem with that.” According to Sports Illustrated, this was the first time any Steelers player had ever made an official statement regarding the choice to kneel during the national anthem.

The 51-year-old then asked why they were in town and where they were performing that day. The “Tomorrow 2” artist explained that she wasn’t there for any business other than seeing him. She immediately began blushing after the comment.

While Glo has become a celebrity in her own right, it makes sense that she was honored to meet Tomlin. The Steelers started off the new football season playing uninspired football. However, the AFC North squad has found its rhythm and is second in their division.

With a 4-2 record, Pittsburgh has managed to sneak wins over the Los Angeles Rams, Baltimore Ravens, Las Vegas Raiders, and the Cleveland Browns. Their losses have come from battles with the San Francisco 49ers and the Houston Texans.

The Pittsburgh Steelers will look to add another W to their record as they face the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday (Oct. 29). It should also be noted that the Pittsburgh Steelers have never had a losing season since Mike Tomlin became head coach in 2007.