Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris confirmed Monday that he had contact with two of his players during the NFL lockout, but he wouldn't say if he expected the league to hand out any kind of punishment for it.
Speaking to reporters one day after the Bucs' season-opening 27-20 loss to the Detroit Lions, Morris said he called tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. and cornerback Aqib Talib. Morris explained that he called Winslow with congratulations on the birth of a child and that he phoned Talib after the cornerback went to jail in connection to a shooting in Texas.
Contact between players and coaches was impermissible during the 4½-month lockout, which ended in late July.
CBS reported Sunday that Tampa Bay would be fined for the improper contact, but NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora cited a team source in reporting that the team hadn't been contacted by the league about any discipline. La Canfora also reported that the NFL is investigating seven instances of contact between Bucs players and coaches.
The Bucs will look to rebound from their disappointing opener Sunday in Minnesota in a matchup of 0-1 teams.
