Maurkice Pouncey apologizes for wearing ‘Free Hernandez’ hat

Pittsburgh Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey has apologized for his wardrobe selection over the weekend. As you likely saw, Maurkice and his twin brother Mike wore hats that said “Free Hernandez” to a club in Miami on Saturday night while celebrating their birthday.

There was speculation over the weekend that the Steelers had already spoken to Maurkice about the ramifications that are associated with supporting Aaron Hernandez as he awaits trial for a murder charge. On Monday morning, Maurkice posted a message on Twitter.

“I fully recognize the seriousness of the situation involving my former teammate, and I regret that my actions appear to make light of that serious situation,” he wrote. “I apologize to anyone who was offended by my actions.”

There is no word yet on whether the Dolphins had a similar talk with Mike, but don’t be surprised if an apology is coming from him as well. The Pouncey brothers were friends with Hernandez at Florida and even had their names mentioned in a report about a shooting that took place in Gainesville back in 2007.

[Related: Snoop Dogg shows support for Aaron Hernandez]

There’s no way two grown men didn’t know that wearing hats supporting a person who has been charged with murder would cause a stir. I’m sure they got exactly what they want with all the attention it received. The apology might as well have come directly from the Steelers, because we all know they were behind it.