Seahawks defensive end Bruce Irvin issued another public apology Friday after being suspended four games for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.
The statement, which was posted on Irvin’s verified Twitter account, followed an apology issued through the team earlier Friday.
Irvin’s newest statement is a reflection of his contrition, and it’s a window into how he is coping with the fall-out from some bad news -- news he knew was coming.
“I messed up and I feel so bad and have been depressed for weeks now,” Irvin said.
Irvin’s backstory is well-known; before he became a star at West Virginia, he encountered off-field trouble and even spent a short stint in prison.
In the statement posted to his Twitter account Friday, Irvin indicated he suspected the suspension could hurt the way he was perceived.
“I’ve had sleepless nights because I knew when this came out, I would let so many people down, including myself,” Irvin wrote. “I have worked so hard to rebuild my image and it takes another blow.”
Apologizing twice won’t undo a four-game suspension, but say this for Irvin -- he’s at least shown that his actions impact numerous people, and he has been willing to publicly say he made a mistake. Neither action is easy.