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Free Speech is not free. There is a cost to preserve it and there is a cost associated with exercising it. Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall is learning the latter. Just days after sending out controversial comments via Twitter about the death of Osama bin Laden and the events of 9/11, Mendenhall was dropped from his endorsement contract with Champion. USA Today first reported the news.

Mendenhall has endorsed Champion since 2008 when he was a first-round draft pick of the Steelers. He agreed to a four-year extension with Champion on Sunday, but the company pulled the plug just a few days later. Should athletes just stay off of Twitter?

Steelers Rashard Mendenhall Bin Laden Tweets Spark Controversy

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