Seahawks Apologize After MLK Day Tweet Panned on Social Media

Less than 24 hours after clinching a spot in the Super Bowl, the Seattle Seahawks found themselves issuing an apology for a social media fumble.

The tweet in question, meant to mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day, featured a photo of an emotional team quarterback Russell Wilson with a quote attributed the civil rights leader and the text "We shall overcome. #MLKDay" according to published reports and screenshots captured by other users.

The tweet, which has since been deleted, sparked a social media backlash, as users slammed the team for insensitively comparing their come-from-behind victory over the Green Bay Packers to the civil rights movement.

The team, which will face the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl on Feb. 1, apologized for its "poor judgment" in a subsequent tweet, saying they "did not did not intend to compare football to the civil rights legacy of Dr. King."

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