James Harrison stood alone during national anthem in first game with Patriots

James Harrison was on the active roster for his first game with the New England Patriots on Sunday, but he chose not to be a part of the team during the playing of the national anthem.

As “The Star-Spangled Banner” was being played prior to New England’s game against the New York Jets, Harrison stood alone near the bench while the rest of his new teammates stood side-by-side in front of him.

As the Patriots lined up along the sideline for the national anthem, James Harrison stood alone by the bench. pic.twitter.com/X2hPth5aTz

— Zack Cox (@ZackCoxNESN) December 31, 2017

It’s unclear why Harrison chose to stand alone. The 39-year-old has said he signed with the Patriots as a “business decision,” so perhaps he was trying to send a message to his former Pittsburgh Steelers teammates. Still, that would be a bit bizarre.

Harrison blasted the Steelers in a lengthy Instagram post earlier this week, but he has also made it sound like he had no choice but to sign with the Patriots.