Maurkice and Mike Pouncey, brothers and high-level centers for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami Dolphins respectively, were photographed at a club on Sunday wearing "Free Hernandez" hats, in support of their ex- college teammate Aaron Hernandez.
Hernandez is facing murder charges and is currently in a Massachusetts jail in solitary confinement, accused of killing the boyfriend of his girlfriend's sister, 27-year-old Odin Lloyd.
Neither team has commented publicly on the controversial photo, but each team reportedly plans on speaking with their player. Media reports of damning evidence against the ex-Patriots tight end, and the NFL is doing a great deal of public relations work to distance itself from the disgraced Hernandez.
The New England Patriots organized giveaways in which Patriots fans that owned Hernandez jerseys could trade them in for new jerseys free of charge. Hernandez's likeness has been removed from the newest edition of Madden, the premier NFL video game on the market, and the pro football Hall of Fame has removed Hernandez's photo.
The Pounceys are connected to one of Hernandez's previous misdeeds, according to reports. The twin brothers were questioned in 2007 while still playing for the Florida Gators in connection with a shooting outside Venue nightclub that left two men wounded.
Hernandez was also questioned in that incident but at the time police didn't consider him a suspect.
Mere hours after Hernandez's arrest, he was released by the New England Patriots. It has been a rough offseason for the NFL on the public relations front. More than 40 NFL players have been arrested since the Super Bowl, and two of them have been Patriots draft picks whose stock tumbled because of character concerns.
Along with Hernandez, cornerback Alfonzo Dennard was arrested prior to the draft for slugging a police officer. He was eventually sentenced to two years probation and a 30-day jail term to be served in 2014. He was arrested again last week, though, for driving under the influence.
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