Here's how Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisbergerexplained the decision after the team's overtime loss in Chicago.
"By no means, by no way shape or form, was there any disrespect intended towards our troops and those who serve this country," he said, via ESPN.com's Jeremy Fowler. "We all have the utmost respect for them, obviously. They give us the freedom to play this game.
"Last night, obviously, with all the issues going on if you will, we had a players-only meeting after the team meeting ... we decided we were going to talk about what we were going to do because we knew some guys wanted to take a knee, guys wanted to stand. We said whatever we do, we need to make sure we are unified as one group because that is what we are about and that is what it should be about. Staying together as one unit, one group, one brotherhood, things like that.
"So rather than having one guy kneel, one guy stand, the conclusion was made by everybody that the best thing to do was to stay in the locker room (or in the tunnel, if you will) and show respect that way."
"By no means, by no way shape or form, was there any disrespect intended towards our troops and those who serve this country," he said, via ESPN.com's Jeremy Fowler. "We all have the utmost respect for them, obviously. They give us the freedom to play this game.
"Last night, obviously, with all the issues going on if you will, we had a players-only meeting after the team meeting ... we decided we were going to talk about what we were going to do because we knew some guys wanted to take a knee, guys wanted to stand. We said whatever we do, we need to make sure we are unified as one group because that is what we are about and that is what it should be about. Staying together as one unit, one group, one brotherhood, things like that.
"So rather than having one guy kneel, one guy stand, the conclusion was made by everybody that the best thing to do was to stay in the locker room (or in the tunnel, if you will) and show respect that way."