NFL issues warning to Newman after strong words for Kitna has 2 comments

Dec 7th 2007, 11:16 | FFN-Score: 12 points

Irving, TX --- Dallas Cowboys cornerback Terence Newman has been put on notice by the NFL after indicating his desire for revenge on Detroit quarterback Jon Kitna.

Posted on Newman's locker Thursday was a letter he received from the NFL after making comments about Kitna during a satellite radio interview. Newman refused comment to reporters when he walked through the locker room.

"Be advised that your comments will now compel us to carefully monitor your activities in this weekend's Cowboys-Lions game," read part of the letter signed by Ray Anderson, NFL executive vice president for football operations. "As you know, flagrant fouls may subject a player not only to fines, but to suspension as well. So conduct yourself accordingly."

Kitna threw four touchdown passes in the regular-season finale in Dallas last year to end a 3-13 season for Detroit. In an interview the following week with a radio station in Seattle, where the Cowboys had to go for the playoffs, Kitna called out the Dallas defense, specifically linebacker Bradie James.

The Cowboys (11-1), who have already clinched another playoff spot this season, play at Detroit on Sunday. Kitna's bulletin-board remarks from January have been widely discussed.

While Newman hasn't spoken to local media this week, he issued what amounted to a warning for Kitna during an interview Tuesday on Sirius NFL Radio.

"Basically what it boils down to is you've got to watch what you say. Your mouth can't write checks that your (expletive) can't cash. That's what it comes down to," Newman said. "Everybody's going to see those quotes. He better just hope I don't blitz off the edge, because I've got 15, 25, 30 (thousand dollars), however much it would be for a fine. I've got that much for one fine. Revenge will be sweet definitely."

In the NFL letter to Newman, Anderson wrote those comments were "thoughtless and irresponsible" and "contrary to all the NFL stands for."

On Monday, when the Cowboys returned to practice from a three-day weekend following their victory over Green Bay, James was already talking about facing Kitna and the Lions.

"It has been circled on my calendar the whole year, and here we are and I'm looking forward to it," James said. "Y'all can ask me about Jon Kitna every day from here on out the rest of my life and I will get fired up. ... He talked like we weren't ever going to play them again. We're going to be ready."