NFL

Interview with Mora ends early

By wire services
Published December 26, 2005

ATLANTA - Falcons general manager Rich McKay said Sunday it's too early to tell if the team will discipline coach Jim Mora for his behavior after the team's overtime loss at Tampa Bay.

"Let me get through the weekend," said McKay, also the Falcons president. "Right now I just don't know."

The 27-24 defeat on Saturday at Raymond James Stadium eliminated Atlanta from playoff contention. After the game, in his regularly scheduled postgame chat with radio flagship analyst Dave Archer, Mora was asked to explain why the Falcons punted from their 24 when facing fourth and 2 with 1:08 remaining in overtime.

Even though Michael Koenen's punt went 53 yards, Mark Jones' 28-yard return put the Bucs in position to win on Matt Bryant's field goal five plays later.

According to several team and radio station employees, Mora abruptly removed his headset after hearing Archer's question and threw it to the ground.

Three team employees and two with the radio station, all of whom requested anonymity because they said they feared alienating the coach, said Mora was so angry that he also threw a microphone - which almost hit Nicole Watson, a sideline reporter with the radio station, in the head.

Watson had given Mora the microphone and headset so he could conduct his usual postgame interview with Archer, who was in the broadcast booth above the field.

Mora did not return a cell phone call Sunday afternoon.

GIANTS: The team's linebacker situation has become so dire that it might look to its past for solutions. Last week, the team worked out 35-year-old Jessie Armstead, a five-time Pro Bowl selection for New York in the late 1990s. He last played a regular-season game in 2003 with Washington. New York also recently signed Roman Phifer, who hadn't played since being released by New England last spring. A linebacker corps already missing starters Antonio Pierce (high ankle sprain) and Carlos Emmons (strained right pectoral muscle) took another hit Saturday when rookie Chase Blackburn, filling in Pierce, strained his neck in a 35-20 loss at Washington.

[Last modified December 26, 2005, 00:43:13]