Steelers’ Maurkice Pouncey posts profanity-laced tirade against proposed NFL CBA
It’s fair to say that Maurkice Pouncey is against the proposed collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and its players.
In a 43-second, not-safe-for-work video message posted to his verified Instagram account Wednesday, Pouncey blasted the proposal that was ratified by the league’s owners and has been sent to a vote by rank-and-file players this week.
A veteran center and the Pittsburgh Steelers’ third-longest tenured player, Pouncey cursed about a dozen times while speaking while driving shirtless down a street with blue skies and palm trees.
“They ain’t looking out for the best of the players,” Pouncey said, referring to NFLPA leadership. “If you all want my vote, the Pouncey twins vote no.”
Pouncey’s brother, Mike, is an offensive lineman for the Los Angeles Chargers.
Maurkice Pouncey began his message by calling the proposed CBA — the current one expires next year, and ownership placed a deadline of next month for approving this proposed extension — “so (expletive) crazy” before criticizing “the dude at the top” of the union, and later referring to “the president.”
The NFLPA president is Eric Winston, a former NFL offensive lineman. The union’s executive director is DeMaurice Smith.
The NFLPA Board of Player Representatives voted to send the proposed collective bargaining agreement to the membership for a vote. #NFLPA #CBA
— George Atallah (@GeorgeAtallah) February 26, 2020
Pouncey, who’s made more than $66 million in his career, made an appeal to younger players who are making far less salary, ones that potentially feel more pressure to agree to a deal.
“And if any player on any one of our teams, if you all are hurting for rent money or anything while we go through this lockout, call us,” Pouncey said in his video. “Man, we got way more money than what they had back in the days. We ain’t got to worry about that. All the vets on each team, stand the (expletive) up. Stand up. Show these guys that we care about them. Man, I care about all you young players and I love you guys to death. I ain’t gonna let y’all down. Trust and believe.”
Pouncey joins other veteran players such as Richard Sherman, Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers who have been publicly against the proposed CBA.
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Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.
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