New York Jets quarterback Brett Favre acknowledged that he spoke to former Detroit Lions president Matt Millen a few weeks ago but denied reports he called Millen and gave him and Lions coaches information they could use in a game against the Green Bay Packers.
Favre, who had a bitter split with the Packers in the offseason, said Millen called to invite him to go hunting. The friends then briefly talked about football.
"I didn't give him any game planning," Favre said. "I haven't been in that offense in over a year. I don't know what else to tell you. It was pretty simple."
Favre spent nearly 15 minutes answering questions about the Foxsports.com report Sunday that said he called the Lions before their Sept. 14 game against the Packers. The report said Favre spent more than an hour giving Millen and Lions coaches information on nuances of the offense he used to run. Green Bay won the game, 48-25.
Jay Glazer, who wrote the story for Foxsports.com, defended what he wrote. "I stand by my story 1000 percent," Glazer told the Associated Press. " ... The way I do my work, I don't go on what just one person told me. I investigated this fully and for quite some time."
Both Favre and Jets coach Eric Mangini said sharing information is common in the NFL, and it isn't against league rules.
Browns:: Pro Bowl tight end Kellen Winslow appealed his one-game suspension for critical comments he made about the team's handling of his hospitalization with a staph infection, the latest development in a bizarre back-and-forth squabble. Winslow was critical of general manager Phil Savage and said he came forward only to reveal he had staph - for the second time - out of concern for his teammates' health. Union attorney Adam Kaiser will represent Winslow in an expedited grievance proceeding before an arbitrator in Cleveland tomorrow or Saturday. According to coach Romeo Crennel and Savage, the team and Winslow made a joint decision to keep the player's medical condition confidential. But Winslow broke the apparent pact after Sunday's loss in Washington, revealing he had staph and saying the team, which has had at least six known cases of staph since 2005, asked him to conceal it.
