The mother of Antwon Rose Jr. expressed disappointment in Maurkice Pouncey for not reaching out to her before publicly declaring on Instagram that he would distance himself from the Pittsburgh Steelers’ decision to honor her son by displaying his name on their helmets.
It was last Thursday when the Steelers’ center took to Instagram to explain that wearing Rose’s name on his helmet inadvertently supported a cause about which he did not have full understanding of the case’s entire background.
Michelle Kenney, Rose’s mother, shared with ESPN that her concern was not about Pouncey’s choice to not wear her son’s name but rather his lack of communication with her to seek mutual understanding.
Kenney clarified that she is not against law enforcement and mentioned that she believes both she and Pouncey, who expressed his dedication to improving police relationships in communities, could collaborate towards a common goal.
Rose, who was unarmed, tragically lost his life in 2018 after being shot by East Pittsburgh police following an incident where the car he was in, along with other teenagers, matched the description of a vehicle involved in a drive-by shooting. The shooting victim had identified Rose as the perpetrator.
Officer Michael Rosfeld faced charges of criminal homicide but was ultimately acquitted of all charges related to Rose’s death.
In 2019, the family reached a $2 million settlement in a federal civil rights lawsuit against the borough of East Pittsburgh and Rosfeld.
