Miami Dolphins center Mike Pouncey and his twin brother, Maurkice (of the Pittsburgh Steelers) had a photo taken at a Miami night club last week with the pair wearing hats that read "Free Hernandez" on them.
The "Hernandez" in the hats, of course, is none other than their former Florida Gators teammate, Aaron Hernandez, who is currently awaiting to stand trial for first-degree murder.
The hats were a bad choice.
Since then, Maurkice has come out and apologized for the lapse in judgment for openly supporting a guy who, although an ex-teammate, is very likely a murderer.
Mike has not yet apologized. And when given the opportunity to address it at Dolphins training camp on Sunday, he refused to comment on it.
The Dolphins are notoriously anal about their image. They're coached by a guy who hates it when his players use foul language, and the team loves it when the players act like emotionless robots with zero personality.
So the fact that the Fins haven't made Mike address the hat is a little weird.
But should they require it?
When asked about it, head coach Joe Philbin gave a very Joe Philbiney answer.
"Any conversation I may or may not have had with Mike will stay internal," he said. "I will tell you that it's important for every member of this organization -- player, coach -- to represent the Miami Dolphins in a first-class manner."
When Pouncey was approached about it, he said he declined comment.
"I'm here to talk about football," Pouncey said. When he was asked when he would address it, he replied, "Once we get through football."
So, sometime in October? Ha. Ha. We kid. The Dolphins are totally going to the playoffs this yrrrrrr.
Pouncey will likely address this because the media will keep making it an issue until he does. Football players are not allowed to be morons.
It's actually not a big deal, when it comes right down to it.
Sure, the Pouncey Bros showed the intellectual prowess of a sack of nails when they went out of their way to not only have the hats specially made (seriously, it's not like these things are being sold at Foot Locker), but then went out in public wearing them and allowed someone to snap a photo of them.
In the end, it's just two meat-headed football players doing what meat-headed football players do.
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