CBS' lead NFL analyst Phil Simms said during a radio interview Monday that he was "sorry" for his near brawl with ESPN college football analyst Desmond Howard during the run-up to Super Bowl XLV in Dallas. But the former New York Giants quarterback said he's upset that Howard then posted about their altercation on his Twitter account.
Speaking with Chris "Mad Dog" Russo of SiriusXM satellite radio on Monday, and reported via USA Today, Simms said he regretted the encounter with Howard, a fellow former Super Bowl MVP, at the NFL Experience. Howard's critical remarks about Simms' son Matt, a University of Tennessee quarterback, raised the elder Simms' hackles.
"It's over," Simms said. "And, you know, and I'm sorry. I really, I mean this, I'm sorry it happened. I really am because even if it remained private, there's still nothing gained. So I've learned another lesson."
Howard wrote on his Twitter account: "At NFL-Xperience and Phil Simms just threatened 2 hit me b/c I said his son was 1 of the worse QBs in the SEC. I told him 'LET'S GO!'"
Howard's willingness to recount the episode immediately to the masses "annoyed" Simms.
"Well, of course I am. But it is what it is," Simms said. "It's a great lesson learned and of course I'm not excusing myself. You know, I've got to know better. It's a new day and age. I talked about it the week before, or whatever, the week after the championship games with Jay Cutler so it's kind of the same situation. And, you know, you've got to know that I think about those things all the time. It's just not good on my part, either. I understand that."
