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.
