Michael Strahan admits he is ‘not proud’ of his furious exchange with a DailyMail.com reporter after finally explaining the story behind his controversial national anthem gaffe.
Strahan, who works as an NFL analyst for Fox Sports, has been fiercely criticized in recent days after failing to put his hand over his heart for the national anthem during a live show from the San Diego Naval Base ahead of Veterans Day.
And amid calls for Fox Sports to fire him, the former New York Giants star lashed out when asked by DailyMail.com for a comment on the situation on Tuesday afternoon.
Now Strahan has finally spoken out; expressing regret over his clash with a reporter outside his home, highlighting his family ties to the military and explaining why he didn’t cover his heart when the Star Spangled Banner was played.
‘Everybody it’s Michael here, and I wanna address what happened this past weekend,’ he said in a video message posted on Instagram Tuesday night.
Michael Strahan admits he is ‘not proud’ of his furious exchange with a DailyMail.com reporter
Strahan (right) sparked outrage by failing to put his hand over his heart for the national anthem
The Fox Sports NFL analyst lashed out at DailyMail.com reporter when asked for comment
‘I feel like I need to address it because it’s spilled over to the point where I get out of my car today and I’m ambushed by a media outlet here at my house.
‘I’m not proud of the way I handled that whole situation, but I think anybody out there can understand the things you’re gonna do. You’re gonna protect your family and you’re gonna protect your home, which I felt like I needed to do in that moment.’
Strahan went on to reveal what caused his viral national anthem blunder, admitting he was too busy admiring the US navy personnel in attendance before realizing his mistake.
‘If you want the truth, I’ll tell you the truth… it’s that I was caught up in the moment,’ he continued. ‘I’m looking at all these young sailors standing there at attention before the national anthem played and I’m thinking to myself, “How incredible to be that young and to know that you wanna do this. It’s such a commitment but you’re willing to commit to something that gives us our freedoms.” Plain and simple.
‘I’m just sitting there in amazement and I’m always amazed, because I don’t take it for granted no matter where we go around the world from Afghanistan to all the military institutions here in this country.
‘And by the time I looked up from that moment, all my five guys had their hands over their hearts, the national anthem’s playing… I somewhat panic and I’m like, “Do I be the fool that puts his hand over his heart after [the anthem starts]? Or do I just stand here with my hands in front of me respectfully?” And that’s what I did. That’s what happened.
Strahan expressed regret over his heated exchange with the reporter on Tuesday afternoon
He is facing calls to be fired from his role on Fox Sports after the national anthem controversy
‘And if that offended any of our military and veterans, I apologize to you. Because that was never my intent.
‘I’m a product of the military, a proud lover of the military and a proud lover of who served before, now and who will serve in the future.’
A number of furious Americans are calling for Strahan to be fired from his Fox Sports role after his controversial act on Sunday.
However, the 52-year-old insists it was never his intention to disrespect Veterans Day or American troops after stressing that he comes from a proud military family.
‘I did a two-hour show praising the military and all that they’ve done for us, celebrating Veterans Day,’ Strahan said. ‘We had our the national anthem, I didn’t have my hand over my chest. Everyone thought, “He’s protesting. He’s making a statement” – which is so far from the truth.
‘I have nothing to protest, I have no statements to be made. The only statement that should be made and that I wanna make is I love the military, I’ve always loved the military and I will always love the military. I do so many programs to help veterans and soldiers. I grew up on a military base with a father who was a major in the army. My brother, my sister, my cousins… they all served in the military.
‘I’m a military brat. And so the fact that [people are] saying I’m unpatriotic couldn’t be further from the truth.’
Strahan says he has nothing but love for the military while apologizing for any offense caused
He shared a photo of his ex-military father and paid tribute to America’s veterans on Monday
Amid the outrage, Strahan shared a photo of his father, Major Gene W. Strahan Sr, during his time in the military on Instagram while paying tribute to veterans across the US on Monday.
He wrote: ‘Just as I honor my father, I keep all of you in my thoughts each and every day as we would not have the safety and freedoms we cherish without you. Thank You.’
When calmly asked for his comment on the controversy after arriving home from co-hosting ABC’s Good Morning America, the ex-NFL defensive end exploded at a DailyMail.com reporter on Tuesday.
‘Don’t come to my house, man!’ he yelled before grabbing the reporter’s phone.
Strahan then tossed the phone into a nearby bush before making his way into his $20million townhouse with girlfriend Kayla Quick.
Despite calls for him to be fired, DailyMail.com understands Fox Sports will not impose any sanction on Strahan for what was an honest mistake.
Strahan pictured with daughters Sophia (second from left) and Isabella (third from left) along with girlfriend Kayla Quick (right)
A source said: ‘His peers have his back and understand that he wasn’t making the moment about himself. There isn’t going to be any type of punishment or fine going Michael’s way.
‘He may address it, but he is weighing his options because he never thought this would have ever been a thing. He knows the man he is, and he almost doesn’t want to address the controversy to give it more life.
‘Michael wants Veterans Day to be for those men and women who deserve it and deserve the praise, to be in the conversation this way and to extend the talk on what people think he was doing, it would be a disservice to what the day means.’
