ESPN's Adam Rittenberg reports on Mississippi State head coach Mike Leach's deleted tweet that received criticism from many. (0:57)

Rittenberg: Leach is used to speaking his mind on Twitter (0:57)

Mississippi State coach Mike Leach apologized Thursday for a since-deleted tweet that showed a meme of a woman knitting her husband a noose during self-quarantine.

Leach removed the tweet, which was posted Wednesday night and had the caption, "After 2 weeks of quarantine with her husband, Gertrude decided to knit him a scarf .."

The tweet received nearly 3,700 likes but also criticism, including some from Mississippi State players.

Among those critical of the post: 2019 captain Erroll Thompson, who responded with a hand-on-the-chin, eyebrow-raised thinking emoji; defensive lineman Fabien Lovett, who wrote, "Wtf"; and defensive end Kobe Jones, who replied with "Facts. He tripping" along with an ashamed emoji.

Leach tweeted Thursday, "I sincerely regret if my choice of images in my tweets were found offensive. I had no intention of offending anyone."

The first-year Mississippi State coach frequently posts memes in his Twitter feed. He has more than 350,000 followers on the social media platform.