I have no issue with Alejandro Villanueva wanting to honor US Sergeant Alwyn Cashe who is a hero of the highest degree. After a bomb left several of his fellow soldiers trapped he went back multiple times to save them while suffering 72% of third-degree burns to this body.
He succumbed to those injuries and passed away in 2005.
There are two problems though with Villanueva honoring him in Week 1.
The first is the team voted to have Antwon Rose on their helmets all year. Rose was a 17-year-old kid who was murdered by a cop when they shot him in the back.
The cop was charged but was found not guilty.
So, Villanueva decided for the second time to go against a team vote.
The second problem is the NFL focus is on social injustice and police brutality. There is no doubt that Segreant Cashe is a hero, but it has nothing to do with social injustice or police brutality.
That leads me to believe Villanueva doesn’t believe either must exists. It isn’t a coincidence that he found a black solider to honor, to try to lessen the blowback of his disgusting act of taping over Antwon Rose’s name.
Rose’s mom is very upset about the situation.
Among those criticizing Villanueva was the mother of Antwon Rose, Michelle Kenney, who wrote on Facebook that Villanueva’s decision turned what should have been a positive situation into a negative.
“The Pittsburgh Steelers took a team vote. Obviously one person didn’t like the results so they chose to do something different. I have nothing against vets and absolutely appreciate everything that they have done and continue to do for us. But this one person showed us exactly who he is and obviously he didn’t approve of how the vote turned out,” she wrote.
I speak about this even more on my “Keep That Same Energy Podcast” which you can listen to below (click to subscribe)
If Villanueva wants to be MAGA and support military heroes that is perfectly fine. He could have done both, but by taping over Rose’s name he sent a clear message where he stands.
Flip the page for him doing it.