I feel like the optics of this situation are different for the Steelers. I think it's pretty stupid to relate sitting/kneeling during the national anthem with anything resembling anti-American / military sentiment. The real message behind the gesture is so unbelievably worthwhile, that I urge every player to take part in it - and commend everyone who does. Having said that, I'm not sure how I'd feel if my teammate on the field was a veteran who served three tours in Afghanistan. Furthermore, I'm not sure how I'd feel after seeing said person uncomfortable enough with the team's decision to do so - that he felt the need to wander onto the field by himself during the national anthem. So in that sense, I can empathize with where Ben is coming from.
Having said that, the right thing to do in this situation - as the captain of this team and a fellow player in the league - would have been to bite your tongue and not make the moment about yourself. This whole ordeal at a league level is a collective protest, so to do what he did definitely rubs me the wrong way. So that's where I have a huge issue with Ben's statements.