3 squads – minus 1 vet – stay inside

The Pittsburgh Steelers took part in the national-anthem protest Sunday by bowing out — staying in the locker room as “The Star-Spangled Banner” was performed.

But one Steeler staged a patriotic counterprotest by walking out onto the sidelines alone and saluting the flag as the anthem played.

Offensive tackle Alejandro Villanueva — a West Point grad who served as an Army Ranger in Afghanistan — stood silently by himself, just outside the tunnel to the locker rooms, with his hand over his heart throughout the anthem at Chicago’s Soldier Field.

He declined to comment on his move, but has been critical of players who kneel during the anthem.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin — who stood on the sidelines with his assistant coaches while his players remained in the locker room — said he didn’t want them to have to pick sides in the wake of President Trump’s comments that players who kneel in protest of racial issues should be fired.

“We will not be divided on this,” Tomlin said after his team’s 23-17 OT loss in Chicago. “We got a group of men in there that come from different socioeconomic backgrounds, races, creeds, ethnicities and religions, and so forth.”

When asked about Villanueva, Tomlin didn’t directly answer: “Like I said, I was looking for 100 percent participation. We’re going to be respectful of our football team. Man, these are divisive times.”

Three hours after the Steelers hid out, both the Seattle Seahawks and the Tennessee Titans stayed off the field in Nashville as the anthem played.

In a team statement, the Seahawks echoed calls for social justice: “We will not stand for the injustice that has plagued people of color in this country.”