The Cleveland Browns have suspended tight end Kellen Winslow for one game without pay for his comments following Sunday¿s defeat at Washington.
Tight end suspended without pay for one game by team for outburst
The Cleveland Browns have suspended tight end Kellen Winslow for one game without pay for his comments following Sunday's defeat at Washington.
Winslow spent time in hospital with what was later revealed to be a staph infection, and hit out at Browns general manager Phil Savage for trying to conceal the illness and not checking on his condition.
Winslow said that his was the sixth case of staph at the Browns in the last three years, and felt the time was right to speak his mind on the subject.
His comments did not go down well with the Browns management though, and Winslow now misses Sunday's game at Jacksonville and also forgoes his $235,294 one-game match fee.
"His statements brought unjustified negative attention to our organization, and violated the team-first concept of our football squad," said Savage, who had not suspended a player since taking over the Browns in 2005.
Committed
"The Cleveland Browns are committed to winning and taking care of our players.
"We are also committed to protecting the privacy of our players, particularly with regard to medical issues.
"To that end, following discussions with Kellen Winslow and his representation, the Browns agreed to make every effort to maintain the confidentiality of his recent medical condition."
Winslow's relationship with the Browns continues to sour as he is also upset at not receiving a new contract after making his first pro Bowl last season.
The 25-year-old has responded to his fine and suspension saying his comment were merely a health issue, and insists he is still giving everything to the team on the field.
"I am disappointed that my organisation felt the need to suspend me for speaking out regarding my medical situation with staph," said Winslow in a statement.
"I take responsibility for the fact that there might have been a more constructive way to release this, but when I tried to do so I was discouraged from making the issue public.
Loyal
"This has nothing to do with football and this has nothing to with my current contract situation. This is a health concern.
"I remain loyal to the Browns organisation, my teammates, the fans and the city of Cleveland.
"I hope to be a Brown for a very long time. I know that the organisation and I can move forward and focus on having a successful season, which I believe everybody agrees upon."
Browns coach Romeo Crennel has previously talked to Winslow about his fiery nature and sometimes public outbursts, but he believes the tight end is under enormous pressure.
"He has made progress from the time that I have been here," Crennel said.
"The thing that we sometimes don't understand is the pressure that a young man like that has on him when he gets injured or is not able to play or what he thinks about his future and there are a lot of things going through his mind."