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Saying he was “caught up in the moment” and not at all protesting anything, Michael Strahan hit back at his critics Tuesday night who’ve been hammering him. 

The criticism boiled up over how the “FOX NFL Sunday” star stood with his hands crossed at his waist as the national anthem played during Fox’s special Veterans Day show from Naval Base San Diego. 

Strahan was disrespecting the anthem and the country, the critics claimed. He must be protesting something. He’s a commie. He hates freedom. He hates America. He’s not one of us. 

And on and on and on. 

Tuesday night, it was time to clear the air. 

“I have nothing to protest, I have no statement to be made,” Strahan said in an Instagram post. “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.”

On Veterans Day, Strahan posted on Instagram about his father’s service and how proud he is of Maj. Gene W. Strahan Sr., who spent 23 years in the military as a member of the 82nd Airborne. 

“This is my hero, it is also my father,” the Pro Football Hall of Famer wrote. 

“Just as I honor my father, I keep all of you in my thoughts each and every day as we would not have the safety and freedoms we cherish without you. Thank You.”

Are you willing to accept Strahan’s explanation of the anthem incident or are you going to continue holding this against him?

Email: joe.kinsey@outkick.com