Maurkice Pouncey honors fallen police officer Eric Kelly for Steelers game against Broncos

After indicating he would reconsider honoring Antwon Rose Jr. as a helmet tribute, Pittsburgh Steelers center and offensive captain Maurkice Pouncey chose the name of a fallen police officer to wear on the back of his helmet Sunday against the Denver Broncos.

Pouncey had the name of Eric Kelly, one of three Pittsburgh police officers slain in the April 2009 shooting in Stanton Heights, on his helmet.

Pouncey was one of several players to change their helmet tribute in the wake of the controversy that surrounded the team’s decision to honor Rose, the 17-year-old Woodland Hills student who was shot and killed by an East Pittsburgh police officer in June 2018.

Running back Benny Snell had the name of Breonna Taylor written on the back of his helmet. Defensive end Stephon Tuitt and wide receiver James Washington did not have any names on their helmet. Other players, though, continued to honor Rose.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had the phrase “It Takes All of Us” written on his helmet. Among the players who had the words “End Racism” written on their helmets were defensive tackle Cameron Heyward, running back James Conner and wide receiver Diontae Johnson.

Pouncey, who supports various police causes in Pittsburgh and in his native Florida, changed his mind about honoring Rose, writing on Instagram that he “inadvertently supported a cause of which I did not fully comprehend the entire background of the case.”

Although Rose was shot three times in the back as he and another teen fled from a car that had been stopped by police, he was a passenger in the car that minutes earlier had been involved in a drive-by shooting. Another teen, Zaijuan Hester, later pleaded guilty in the drive-by shooting. The officer charged in Rose’s shooting death was acquitted by a jury following a four-day trial.

In an article written on the team’s website prior to the season opener, the Steelers were supposed to be “unified” in supporting victims of racial injustice and police brutality, and Rose was chosen as the Steelers’ representative.

Tackle Alejandro Villanueva, however, covered Rose’s name with white tape and replaced it with the handwritten name of Alwyn Cashe, an Army sergeant who died while on active duty in Afghanistan in 2005 and is a candidate for the Medal of Honor. Villanueva honored Cashe again Sunday against the Broncos.

Linebacker Vince Williams said no vote was taken by Steelers players on who to honor, and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick said the decision to recognize Rose against the Giants was made by “people upstairs.”

Pouncey was the Steelers nominee for the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award in 2019. He has donated Steelers tickets to Pittsburgh police for officers to take youth from the city’s neighborhoods to games. He also is a proponent of strengthening the relationship between police officers and the communities they serve.

In the 2009 Stanton Heights standoff, officers Paul Sciullo and Stephen Mayhle were killed after responding to a domestic disturbance call. Kelly was on his way home after an overnight shift when he heard the call for backup. Kelly, who was Black, was shot and killed while trying to provide aid to the two fallen officers.