MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota Vikings defensive end Brian Robison issued an apology on Twitter to Packers offensive lineman T.J. Lang after Robison kicked Lang in the groin during the game on Sunday.
"My apologies to (at)tjlang70, my team, my fans and the nfl," Robison tweeted after Minnesota's 33-27 loss to Green Bay. "I am not a dirty player and did not maliciously aim for the groin, just happened to be where it landed."
The altercation happened on a field-goal try in the second quarter. Replays caught Robison kicking Lang in the groin, and he was flagged for a personal foul. Former NFL head of officiating Mike Pereira tweeted during the game that Robison should have been ejected for the act.
Lang called it "a cowardly act," but said he will be OK. He did not miss any of the game because of it.
"I don't think there is any room in the game for that kind of move," Lang said. "We'll see if there is any (discipline). From what it sounds like, the TV cameras caught it pretty well. I think it should be the same as a punch."
Throwing a punch in a game is cause for ejection under NFL rules.
Robison had a different story. He said that the cameras did not catch Lang and another Packers player picking him up and throwing him to the turf and Lang lunging at him while he was on his back on the ground.
"I think when you've got a guy standing over the top of you, you automatically go into defense mode," Robison said. "And as usual, they always catch the second guy. It is what it is."
Robison had a quiet day on the stat sheet, registering just two tackles and none of the team's four sacks. He also suffered an injury to his right pectoral, but said he thought he would be OK for next weekend's game at Carolina.
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press
