PITTSBURGH -- Offensive lineman Barrett Brooks apologized to
the Pittsburgh Steelers for his weekend arrest on charges he fled
from police on his motorcycle, but said the chase resulted from
miscommunication and not any wrongdoing.
Brooks
Brooks' comments didn't seem to appease coach Bill Cowher, who
was critical of Brooks after addressing the situation Monday during
a team meeting.
"We're very disappointed with the judgment he displayed
Saturday night, we talked to the football team about it and we'll
leave it at that," Cowher said. "We certainly don't condone the
actions and certainly there's responsibility that goes with being a
professional athlete and handling yourself properly."
Brooks, a 34-year-old backup lineman for the Super Bowl
champions, was charged with fleeing and eluding, reckless driving,
driving at an unsafe speed and other traffic violations Sunday. He
was taken to Allegheny County Jail, according to Pittsburgh police
Sgt. Dennis Washington.
Police said Brooks drove recklessly around a police car and
didn't stop, causing officers to chase him for about five minutes.
Brooks also drove through a red traffic light and a stop sign,
Washington said.
Brooks wasn't intoxicated, but wasn't wearing a helmet while on
his motorcycle, police said.
Brooks said he immediately called Steelers officials to tell
them what happened. He said he felt bad for team owner Dan Rooney
and his family and told his teammates he was sorry.
"I apologize to the Rooneys. Their family is a great family and
they believe in not doing stuff like this, but I really didn't do
anything," Brooks said Monday. "Once things come to fruition
here, we'll be all right."
Brooks was reluctant to discuss details, but said he didn't stop
for the policeman because he didn't see him.
"Like I said, once everything is over with I'll say something.
But right now ... there's really nothing to say," Brooks said. "I
was just riding a motorcycle, and that was it, that was the extent
of it."
Several Steelers players were asked what Brooks said, but
declined to talk about it.
"I reached out to everybody on the team, my teammates, my
coaches and everybody else," Brooks said. "I explained to them
the situation, apologized for any negative attention brought to
them. Eighty percent of the league knows me. I'm a down-to-earth
guy, I would never put myself in a situation to do something like
this. There was a total miscommunication. It just wasn't the way
it's said. All the stuff that's been said is totally
misinterpreted."
Brooks has been an NFL lineman since 1995, playing for the
Philadelphia Eagles (1995-98), Detroit Lions (1999-2000), Green Bay
Packers (2002) and Steelers (2004-05). He didn't play in 2001 and
2003 after being cut during training camp. He played mostly on
special teams last season, but also filled in at guard and tackle.
Brooks is the second Steelers player in two months to attract
attention for not wearing a helmet while riding a motorcycle in
Pittsburgh.
Star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger broke his jaw, nose and some
orbital bones and sustained a concussion in a June 12 motorcycle
crash in which he was cited for not wearing a helmet. He did not
miss any training camp time because of the accident.
It is legal to ride a motorcycle in Pennsylvania without a
helmet, but only if the driver has a motorcycle license. Police
said Roethlisberger lacked the license, and was issued $388 in
fines for not having the license and not wearing a helmet.