Oakland Raiders linebacker Rolando McClain has apologized for bringing bad publicity to the team following his recent conviction for assault.
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"I'm aware of the bad publicity that I've given the Raiders," McClain said in a prepared statement after the Raiders' OTA session on Tuesday, according to Comcast SportsNet Bay Area.
"After talking to Coach (Dennis) Allen, I have the support of the Raiders, my teammates, as well as the coaching staff," McClain said. "I apologize for the bad publicity that's been put out there. But it is a legal process and I can't talk much about it, but I think in due time the Raiders and the Raiders fans that are out there will see it all come to an end. It is what it is; I can't really talk much about it but it will be resolved in the near future."
McClain was convicted last week by a judge in Decatur, Ala., for threatening to kill a man and firing a gun next to his head in a fight last November. He was charged with third-degree assault, menacing, reckless endangerment and discharging a firearm in the city limits.
He was sentenced last week to 180 days in jail and fined $2,000. His lawyer, Harvey Steinberg, said he will appeal and seek a jury trial. McClain is out on bail.
The NFL is reviewing McClain's case to determine if any punishment is warranted for violations of the league's personal-conduct policy. The Raiders will wait for the NFL to rule on discipline for McClain.
"Rolando's part of our family, he's part of our team," Allen said. "We're going to let the whole process play out before we do anything and once the whole legal proceedings are finished then we'll determine what if any action we need to take."
McClain was the eighth overall pick in the 2010 draft, but has failed to live up to the lofty expectations that came with that selection. He had 85 tackles, a half-sack and one interception as a rookie.
He showed signs of improvement last season with 99 tackles and five sacks, but still had problems in coverage and sometimes took bad angles in the run game, leading to big plays.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
