National Football League

NFL won't say if it's looking into McDaniels spat

Published Dec. 5, 2009 1:38 p.m. ET

foxsports

The NFL is keeping mum on the latest developments in the trash talking episode between Denver coach Josh McDaniels and San Diego linebacker Shaun Phillips. Phillips said after the Chargers' victory at Denver on Nov. 22 that McDaniels had sneered "We own you!" during warmups. McDaniels repeatedly declined to tell his side of the story but in the face of mounting criticism, he told ESPN over the weekend that Phillips had confronted and taunted him. The coach said his response was meant to imply that McDaniels' former team, the Patriots, had always made Phillips eat his words. Both have said they are sorry, although McDaniels indicated the Broncos asked the NFL to look into the encounter, according to ESPN. League spokesman Greg Aiello told The Associated Press on Monday, "We are not commenting on the report." The Broncos were off Monday and not available for comment. Three times last week McDaniels declined to give his side of things. He told ESPN that was partly because the Broncos had a Thanksgiving night game against the New York Giants to prepare for. After coaches and players across the NFL questioned the wisdom of taunting a player, McDaniels finally broke his silence on the matter. McDaniels, one of the most demonstrative coaches in the league, found himself at the center of another sideline issue Thursday night when the NFL Network accidentally aired two obscenities as he was yelling at his offense over a series of false starts that stalled a promising drive in the first half. The NFL Network apologized to viewers and to McDaniels.