Michael Strahan admits ‘I’m not proud’ as he finally explains controversial national anthem gaffe

Michael Strahan admits he is ‘not proud’ of his furious exchange with a DailyMail.com reporter on Tuesday after finally explaining his controversial national anthem act.

Strahan, who sparked outrage by failing to put his hand over his heart for the national anthem at the weekend, lashed out at the reporter when asked for a comment on the situation on Tuesday afternoon. 

‘Everybody it’s Michael here, and I wanna address what happened this past weekend,’ the Fox Sports NFL analyst said in a video message on Instagram on Tuesday night.

‘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 the story behind his national anthem gaffe, admitting he was simply ‘caught up in the moment’ 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? Or do I just stand here with my hands in front of me respectfully?” And that’s what I did. That’s what happened.

‘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 America 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.’