Photographs of NFL linemen Maurkice and Mike Pouncey wearing "Free Hernandez" hats surfaced online over the weekend. Maurkice quickly apologized for questionable choice in apparel, which lent support to former Florida teammate Aaron Hernandez.
The photos featured Maurkice and Mike, who plays for the Miami Dolphins, in a nightclub posing with the hats on. The photos later appeared on Twitter and went viral once Deadspin.com posted them.
The Steelers lineman apologized Monday 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," Maurkice wrote. "I apologize to anyone who was offended by my actions."
The hat referenced the incarceration of Hernandez, who played football at the University of Florida with both Pouncey twins. Hernandez, a former New England Patriots star, is facing a first-degree murder charge and five gun-related offenses in the shooting death of Odin Lloyd.
Hernandez and the Pouncey twins were also linked to a 2007 shooting in Florida. Although their names appeared in the police report, authorities ruled the trio out as having any involvement in the incident, and they subsequently never became suspects in the case.
