Michael Strahan, Fox NFL analyst and New York Giants great, has described himself as a “military brat,” given that his father, Maj. Gene W. Strahan, Sr., served for over 20 years in the U.S. Army.
You would think, then, that he’d be the last guy embroiled in a national anthem controversy, especially during a commemoration for Veteran’s Day.
You’d be wrong.
In a viral clip from a pregame show broadcast Sunday from San Diego Naval Base, Strahan is the only member of the Fox Sports NFL team without his hand over his heart as “The Star-Spangled Banner” played.
“Strahan appeared to only briefly be seen on the Fox broadcast during the National Anthem as he stood next to Rob Gronkowski, but it was enough for some viewers to take issue with it a day before the country honors those who served in the military on Veterans Day on Monday,” the New York Post reported.
It wasn’t just Gronkowski with his hand over his heart, mind you, but the entirety of the “NFL on Fox” team.
Todd Starnes of Newsmax was one of those who criticized Strahan for the move, calling it “downright cowardly.”
Michael Strahan disrespected the military during a Veterans Day pre-game show on @NFLonFOX. The great irony is Strahan on a ship surrounded by men and women who would willingly sacrifice their lives to protect his freedom. So, his behavior is not just repugnant, it’s downright… pic.twitter.com/iIXqChfLCW
— toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) November 10, 2024
“Michael Strahan disrespected the military during a Veterans Day pre-game show on @NFLonFOX,” he wrote. “The great irony is Strahan on a ship surrounded by men and women who would willingly sacrifice their lives to protect his freedom. So, his behavior is not just repugnant, it’s downright cowardly.”
That sentiment was echoed by others on social media, as well:
WARNING: The following posts contain graphic language that some readers will find offensive.
Fire Michael Strahan! This is unacceptable!pic.twitter.com/xgI7vLaOk3
— aka (@akafacehots) November 10, 2024
@NFLonFOX Michael Strahan, standing with US military honoring Veterans Day can’t show honor and respect during the National Anthem… Wow! pic.twitter.com/bq7g9gMsQc
— Rich Nalven (@NalvenRichard) November 10, 2024
.@michaelstrahan, I served 20 years defending your sorry ass allowing you to be an idiot. You’re welcome. Happy Veteran’s Day, asswipe. pic.twitter.com/ANco7cNzzV
— Buzz Patterson (@BuzzPatterson) November 11, 2024
Some also interpreted it to be Strahan’s way of protesting Donald Trump’s win and Kamala Harris’ loss in this past week’s presidential election:
BREAKING: Kamala Harris supporter Michael Strahan blatantly disrespects our National Anthem by refusing to put his hand on his heart on a naval base.
— Ian Jaeger (@IanJaeger29) November 10, 2024
Kamala/Tim Walz supporter Michael Strahan blatantly disrespects our National Anthem on a naval base.
Checks out. pic.twitter.com/IE0ygu1cZo
— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) November 10, 2024
However, it’s worth noting that, due to his role as a co-host on “Good Morning America,” Strahan isn’t in the business of making presidential endorsements. Not only that, but he produced one of the more uncomfortable moments of the campaign for the Harris-Walz campaign when he grilled the lower half of the Democratic ticket during an October interview:
????????DEVELOPING: Michael Strahan
at ABC News grilled Kamala Harris for not doing anything over the past 4 years during their interview with Tim Walz and Walz responded by blaming Trump for no reason.ABC: Why hasn’t Kamala done any of the things she says she’s going to do during… pic.twitter.com/HjrfQfZJze
— Dom Lucre | Breaker of Narratives (@dom_lucre) October 11, 2024
Tim Walz is a complete and total moron, gets completely cooked by Michael Strahan! on eliminating the electoral college. pic.twitter.com/b5EQvbqV0b
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) October 11, 2024
Thus, perhaps Strahan was merely taking a page out of Walz’s playbook and acting like a “knucklehead” during the Veteran’s Day broadcast. It seems like the most likely reason for the clip, although nobody can claim any special powers of divination when it comes to what’s going on inside Michael Strahan’s head.
One thing’s for certain, though: Given the sturm und drang that using the national anthem for political purposes has created in the NFL over the past decade, you would think every broadcaster — a “military brat” in particular — would be super-duper-extra careful to follow protocol during a Veteran’s Day broadcast.
Not so much, apparently.
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