DENVER -- The NFL refused Friday to retract wording in a
letter to Broncos safety John Lynch that warned he could be ejected
for making another illegal hit like the one that knocked Colts
tight end Dallas Clark out of last weekend's game.
The league fined Lynch $75,000 for the helmet-to-helmet hit on
the Colts tight end.
Along with the fine, NFL disciplinarian Gene Washington sent a
letter reprimanding Lynch for the hit and informing him that
officials for Sunday's playoff rematch at Indianapolis have been
alerted to keep an eye on Lynch and to eject him if warranted.
Lynch's attorney, Harvey Steinberg, responded with a letter to
the NFL appealing the fine and demanding that language threatening
ejection be rescinded.
"We fear that the integrity of this contest will be impacted
adversely here by the influence on the impartiality of the
officiating crew," Steinberg wrote in a letter first obtained by
The Denver Post.
On Friday, a league spokesman said Art Shell, the NFL's senior
vice president of football operations, sent a reply to Steinberg.
"He reviewed his points, believes Gene Washington's letter is
appropriate, and therefore will not be making a retraction," the
spokesman said.
Union president Gene Upshaw, who received a copy of the letter,
had said he wouldn't be surprised if the NFL declined to rescind
the language. He was also pessimistic about the chances of having
the fine reduced, based on some of the inflammatory comments Lynch
made about the hit after the game.
"Some of the clips that came out with John saying 'We were
sending a message about next week and I'd do it again' -- that
didn't help me on my appeal, I can tell you that," Upshaw said.
After the game, Lynch was anything but apologetic for the hit
that bloodied Clark's mouth and left him with a concussion. He said
one of the few ways to stop a team as athletic and fast as the
Colts was to be physical with them.
"I don't know about the rest of the guys, but I still think we
sent a message today," Lynch said then. "We got some stuff
done."
After practice Friday, Lynch declined comment, saying "It's
time to concentrate on football."
Shortly after, however, he went on Jim Rome's syndicated radio
show and reiterated comments he made earlier in the week, when he
said he felt the league was tarnishing his reputation by fining him
and singling him out. He said the most disturbing part of the
letter was the section warning of his possible ejection.
"I think it's unprecedented in this league," Lynch said.
"It's never been done. And I think it's real dangerous when you're
taking something that is supposed to be the most impartial part of
the game and now, all of the sudden, you're instructing officials
to look for someone."
Coach Mike Shanahan said he thought the Colts were partaking in
gamesmanship by calling the league after the game and urging
Lynch's suspension.
In fact, both teams have been playing the game within the game
all week. Broncos defensive backs said this week they would
continue to hit hard, just as they always have.
"We're going to go after them," cornerback Champ Bailey told
the Post. "We're not worried about any fine. We'll play
punch-them-in-the-mouth football. I know Lynch, he's not going to
shy away from anything. That's his game. He's a hitter."
Presented with the array of comments -- from Lynch, Bailey and
safety Kenoy Kennedy -- the Colts challenged the Broncos to bring it
on.
Upshaw said he told Lynch that as long as he uses his shoulder
to tackle, not the crown of his helmet, he can hit as hard as he
wants "and they aren't going to say a word."
Upshaw said the appeal on the fine will likely be determined
after the Super Bowl, probably at league meetings, where Lynch will
have a chance to attend and state his case.
A key part of the appeal is based on the fact that officials
initially picked up the flag they had thrown when it appeared
Lynch's hit had resulted in a fumble. Upon review, however, the
pass to Clark was ruled incomplete and the penalty was reinstated.
Upshaw said a conversation he had with commissioner Paul
Tagliabue led him to believe Lynch has hurt his chances of winning
an appeal.
"Paul brought up comments that John made after the game,"
Upshaw said. "I guarantee you, that's not helping my case."
Steinberg said he didn't anticipate any ruling on the fine
before Sunday.
"All I can tell you is I'm hoping he has a big game Sunday, and
we'll worry about what to do next after that," he said.