In sports, sometimes the biggest plays happen off the field. Former New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan is learning this lesson the hard way as he finds himself caught in a storm of controversy that just won’t quit. The NFL Hall of Famer’s recent actions during FOX’s Veterans Day celebration have sparked a heated debate that’s now spreading beyond the sports community.

And, oh boy, here we go again! When you think the “hand-over-heart” debate has finally taken a breather, someone stirs up the pot again in what’s becoming the most dramatic hand placement saga since the Hokey Pokey. And this time, it was Academy Award winner Denzel Washington who sparked some buzz about Michael Strahan’s future on Good Morning America – albeit hilariously, and all in good fun.

Washington joined the GMA crew on November 22 to talk about Gladiator II and a new film called The Piano Lesson, which he worked on with his wife and kids. But before the cameras started rolling and before co-host Michael Strahan entered the studio,  the 69-year-old channeled the actor in him. He sat in the Giants legend’s seat, held the show’s script in his hand, and as Strahan walked in, Washington went into character.

“So, we’ll just change Michael’s name here,” he said, pointing at the script. As everyone burst into laughter, Strahan shouted, “They gave up my job that quick!” Pretending to now have seen the former NFL player yet, Denzel kept the act up, but when he looked directly at Strahan, he quickly joked, “Oh, I’m sorry,” and looked at the crew. “Did you all tell him?”

The Gladiator II star was seemingly asking Strahan’s co-hosts if they’d informed him that his time at GMA was up… and that Washington would be taking over. Taking the joke like a champ, Michael Strahan walked up to Denzel and greeted him as the actor stood up. But the actor was still in character! “You’re gonna do one more show,” Washington told Strahan while shaking hands and giving him a hug.

When Michael asked if he could “finish out today,” referring to the GMA show, Denzel cheekily replied, “Not finish out today. But the words ‘finish’ and ‘today’ are in the same sentence. You left out ‘You’ll be’ finished today.” GMA shared this exchange on Instagram, writing, “Watch out Michael Strahan, Denzel Washington is coming for your job 😂”  That said, why is the word “finished” causing such a stir for Michael? Let’s say controversy is the name of the game!

Things got heated when Michal Strahan didn’t place his hand over his heart during FOX NFL Sunday’s two-hour special in honor of Veteran’s Day a couple of weeks ago. Many people on social media called his actions “disrespectful,” and the backlash quickly escalated, with many even suggesting that FOX and GMA should relieve him of his duties. But the Giants legend responded to the backlash.

As someone who grew up as a military kid, Strahan first took to Instagram on Veteran’s Day to pay tribute to the men and women who serve the country, including his father. Sharing a picture of him, the Giants legend wrote, “This is my hero. It is also my father, Maj. Gene W. Strahan, Sr. He served for 23 years in the army and was a proud member of the 82nd Airborne Division.” But despite this, the criticism didn’t stop, prompting the 53-year-old to explain the entire situation from FOX’s special.

“I want to address what happened this past weekend,” he said in an Instagram video. For the special, the FOX crew was on Naval Base San Diego alongside men and women who’d served in the US Armed Forces. “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 [it is] to be that young. At that moment, all my five guys had their hands over their hearts, the National Anthem 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 hand in front of me?'” He got so caught up in the moment that he forgot to place his hand on his heart. But that split-second decision led to this widespread backlash, with some even suggesting that the former NFL player was protesting something. “I have nothing to protest,” Strahan responded to those claims.

While Michael hasn’t been let go from GMA, this controversy has put him in the spotlight. Once that behind-the-scenes clip went viral, people started thinking Denzel was disrespectful to Michael. However, that’s not true, and as mentioned earlier, it was all in good fun. But is Michael ready to tackle the NFL TV scene after all that drama?

Is Strahan confirmed for the FOX TV Show with Terry?

Can you believe how it all kicked off with the chaos around Veteran’s Day? Rob Gronk and Terry Bradshaw hit the training field together and attended the Veterans Day tribute while Strahan faced controversy. Fast forward to now, and Bradshaw and Strahan are promoting NFL games on FOX’s holiday show. FOX will air live games on Thursday, November 28, Thanksgiving Day.

This year, they’ll be broadcasting from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, where the Dallas Cowboys will take on the New York Giants in an NFC East showdown. The game is set to start at 4:30 PM ET. The middle segment of the broadcast will showcase FOX’s Thanksgiving game, and you can expect to see Bradshaw, Strahan, and their crew on the regular FOX NFL Sunday show. Well, it’s safe to say Strahan’s not sitting out anytime soon! Especially after FOX’s decision after the entire controversy.

In the midst of calls to fire Strahan, a source close to the situation gave Daily Mail an update. “His peers have his back and understand that he wasn’t making the moment about himself. There isn’t going to be any type of punishment or fine going Michael’s way.” While FOX initially didn’t address the controversy directly, the broadcaster made its position on Michael clear. “[Strahan not placing his hand over his heart] was never addressed in the moment.

“All of this came later when the trolls got on it… Michael was in the moment and in no way, shape, or form, objecting to the moment at hand. This was an internet controversy that was never in his thoughts to start.” Coming back to the Thanksgiving show, Jimmy Johnson, Howie Long, Rob Gronkowski, and Kurt Menefee will also join the others.

The pregame show kicks off at 4:00 PM ET on FOX, followed by a post-game recap after the game wraps up. Last year, over 40 million viewers tuned in to watch the Thanksgiving clash between these two teams on FOX. At that time, Bradshaw, Strahan, and their FOX NFL Sunday teammates were part of the pregame and post-game coverage from the studio as well. Despite the controversy, Strahan is all set to suit up for the studio!

The main question is: can Strahan finally drop the controversy and move on?