The New York Giants have suspended their Super Bowl star receiver Plaxico Burress for one game for missing a team workout.
Super Bowl champions suspend receiver for breach of discipline
The New York Giants have suspended wide receiver Plaxico Burress for one game for missing a team workout.
Burress missed practice on Monday, with his agent Drew Rosenhaus claiming that his client had to skip the session due to a family emergency.
With the unbeaten Giants on a bye week, Burress will miss their next game against the Seattle Seahawks on October 5 if the suspension is upheld - with the player due to appeal the ban to the NFL players' association.
The Giants have still not officially revealed their reason for the suspension but it was implemented immediately and Burress will now not return to any team activities until after the Seahawks game, and will be docked the two weeks' wages, which totals $235,294.
Communication
Rosenhaus said that Burress spoke with Giants special assistant Charles Way late Monday and says that the whole affair is a case of a lack of communication between the two parties.
"Again we're acknowledging that there should be some repercussion, but not to the extent where he is denied his right to perform his livelihood to play," Rosenhaus said in a conference call.
Giants coach Tom Coughlin has a tough reputation and he says that the suspension sends out a clear message that no one player is bigger than the team.
"We have had success here because of the team concept," Coughlin said after practice.
"And the team concept means basically that everyone is accountable and responsible and that we don't let the other guys down.
"And that is what we are trying to do."
Problems
Burress has had his problems with the team before - as he signed a two-year contract extension just before the start of the season after a stand-off with the Giants as the player had wanted a salary boost earlier in the summer.
The nine-year veteran caught the winning touchdown pass in the Super Bowl back in February.
Leading the way over the last three seasons with 209 receptions, 3,227 yards and 29 touchdowns, the Giants have decided to do without Burress to send out their teamwork message loud and clear.
