Steelers’ Alejandro Villanueva gear becomes best-selling

By midday Monday, more gear for Pittsburgh Steelers player Alejandro Villanueva had been ordered than any other NFL player, a spokesman for Fanatics, which runs the NFL's online store, confirmed to ESPN. The gear included jerseys and name and number T-shirts in men's and women's sizes.

The player's gear beat out New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady for the number spot. Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers rounded out the top five over the past day, according to ESPN.

The offensive lineman, who wears number 78, was in the spotlight Sunday when he was the lone player from his team to stand for the national anthem before a game against the Chicago Bears. Steelers' head coach Mike Tomlin said Sunday morning the team would remain in the locker room during the anthem in protest, Pittsburgh's Action News 4 reported.

Villanueva is a former captain in the Army and former Army Ranger who earned a Bronze Star and served three tours in Afghanistan. He stood at the entrance of the tunnel before the game with his hand over heart as the anthem played.

Though many showed their support for Villanueva on social media, his coach wasn't as supportive.

"I was looking for 100 percent participation. We were gonna be respectful of our football team," Tomlin said, ESPN reported.

Approximately 180 football players didn't stand for the national anthem Sunday, and three teams - the Steelers, Tennessee Titans and Seattle Seahawks - didn't come to the field for the song. Last year, when San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick first started kneeling during the national anthem to call attention to racial inequality in the U.S., Villanueva told ESPN he didn't think it was the best way to protest.

"I don't know if the most effective way is to sit down during the national anthem with a country that's providing you freedom, providing you $16 million a year ... when there are black minorities that are dying in Iraq and Afghanistan for less than $20,000 a year," Villanueva said at the time.

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