National Football League

Simms sorry for dust-up with Howard

Published Feb. 8, 2011 12:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

After Saturday's clash of former Super Bowl MVPs, Phil Simms said he is upset with Desmond Howard for putting the details of their altercation on Twitter, but also accepted responsibility, the New York Post reported Tuesday.

The former Giants quarterback reportedly threatened to hit Howard, a college football analyst for ESPN, at the NFL-Xperience during Super Bowl week for being critical of his son Matt, a quarterback at the University of Tennessee.

"It's over," Simms said Monday in an interview on Sirius XM radio.

"And, you know, and I'm sorry. I really, I mean this, I'm sorry it happened. I really am because even if it remained private, there's still nothing gained. So I've learned another lesson."

After the confrontation, Howard put up a series of tweets:

"At NFL-Xperience and Phil Simms just threatened 2 hit me b/c I said his son was 1 of the worse QBs in the SEC. I told him 'LET'S GO!'"

In his last tweet, Howard said police stepped in and he continued his appearance with fans.

Sirius host Chris Russo asked Simms whether he was annoyed by Howard's tweets.

"Well, of course I am," Simms said. "But it is what it is. It's a great lesson learned, and of course I'm not excusing myself. You know, I've got to know better. It's a new day and age . . . And, you know, you've got to know that I think about those things all the time. It's just not good on my part, either. I understand that."

Simms stressed that he was putting it behind him.

"I'm going to let it go," the 55-year-old Simms said. "The best thing I can just tell you is that we all survived, that's the good thing."

Simms, who won the MVP in Super Bowl XXI in 1987 when the Giants defeated the Broncos 39-20, is the lead analyst for NFL broadcasts on CBS, working alongside Jim Nantz.

Howard, the 1991 Heisman Trophy winner, was MVP of Super Bowl XXXI in 1997 when the Packers beat the Patriots 35-21, in part because of his 99-yard kickoff return touchdown.