Arizona Cardinals quarterback Derek Anderson has apologized for his Monday night postgame tirade.
"My mom and dad didn't raise me to act like that in times of adversity," he said.
The quarterback's rant, now a nationwide Internet spectacle, came after a series of questions from a reporter about why Anderson was smiling with teammate Deuce Lutui on the sidelines while the Cardinals were trailing by 18 points late in the game. The brief clip of the two grinning had been shown during the Monday night telecast.
Anderson said after the game that it was no one's business what he and Lutui were talking about. As the reporter persisted, Anderson lost his temper and shouted about how he had put his "freaking heart and soul" into the team and that there was nothing funny about it. He was low-key and contrite as he opened his weekly news conference.
Steelers: Linebacker James Harrison promises he's not changing his aggressive style of play and believes he is being unfairly targeted for hard hits that have drawn $125,000 in fines for four infractions since mid-October.
His teammates and at least one Baltimore Ravens player, linebacker Terrell Suggs, argued the league is focusing extra and possibly unwarranted attention on any Harrison hit. "Your guy over there, No. 92 (Harrison), I think he is red-flagged," Suggs said during a conference call with Pittsburgh reporters.
Wide receiver Hines
Ward lashed out at what he calls the NFL's hypocritical stance on player safety, arguing the league recently toughened its stance only because it wants to expand to an 18-game season.
Meanwhile, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger missed only a few snaps in practice despite a sprained right foot.
Chargers: Although the San Diego Chargers have denied that they've agreed to sell a minority stake to billionaire Philip Anschutz, there are still more questions than answers about the team's possible relocation to Los Angeles.
Chargers attorney Mark Fabiani issued a carefully worded statement denying a Toronto radio report that Anschutz "has or will purchase" 35 percent the team. AEG has proposed building a stadium in downtown Los Angeles, which has been without the NFL since the Rams and Raiders left after the 1994 season.
Lions: Drew Stanton will start at quarterback against Chicago this weekend. Detroit is down to its No. 3 quarterback after Matthew Stafford hurt his right shoulder and Shaun Hill injured a finger on his throwing hand.
Broncos: Wide receiver Kenny McKinley had a gambling problem and was deep in debt when he committed suicide on Sept. 21, friends and family told authorities during a probe into his death. McKinley committed suicide with a gun he had purchased months before from teammate Jabar Gaffney, who told investigators McKinley wanted the weapon for his own protection.
