Former New York Giants star Michael Strahan has landed a massive gig on the back of his national anthem controversy.
Strahan has been taking a lot of heat after being shown with his hands clasped in front of him while “The Star-Spangled Banner” played during the NFL on FOX crew’s visit to a naval base before Veteran’s Day.
Not only has the network ignored calls for the former defensive end to be fired, they have also handed him a sweet new gig.
According to racing reporter Bob Pockrass, Strahan will be a special honorary pace-car driver for the Indy 500 when it comes to FOX Sports next year.
As announced on FOX NFL Sunday … Michael Strahan will be the honorary pace-car driver for the Indy 500.
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) November 24, 2024
Fans were not pleased with the announcement.
“Maybe he can respect the Flag this time!” someone exclaimed.
“Talk about not being able to read a room….” said another.
“so he can be un patriotic and not hold his hand over his heart again!” a user wrote.
“So he can continue being unpatriotic and not caring about America or our troops? SHAMEFUL,” another asked.
What Michael Strahan Had To Say About His Actions During The National Anthem
Strahan addressed the controversy in a video posted to his Instagram account a few days after the incident, explaining that he was simply lost in the moment.
“I have nothing to protest, I have no statement to be made,” he said. “The only statement that should be made that I want to 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 of somebody saying that, you know, I’m unpatriotic, couldn’t be any further from the truth.”
Given that the Indy 500 is the biggest racing event in the world, this is pretty significant. That FOX would assign it to him proves they’re standing with their man.
