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NAPA, Calif. Oakland Raiders head coach Tom Cable declined to comment Monday about reports he punched defensive assistant Randy Hanson in the jaw and caused injuries that required treatment at a hospital this month.
According to AOL Fanhouse, Cable hit Hanson on Aug.5 for unknown reasons. A report filed with the Napa Police Department describes an unnamed 41-year-old assistant coach being treated at the Queen of the Valley Hospital for a jaw injury, which the victim alleges was caused by an unidentified member of the Raiders coaching staff.
Cable, who replaced Lane Kiffin as Oakland's head coach four games into the 2008 season, repeatedly sidestepped questions Monday about the incident and declined to discuss his involvement.
“It's an internal issue that we are dealing with, and that's all I'm going to say,” said Cable, who repeated the phrase when questioned if he was involved. “I'm not going to comment on that.”
Cable spoke for less than 60 seconds regarding the incident. He answered four questions before reporters were cut off by a member of the Raiders' public relations department.
Many players said they were unaware of any altercation, but at the beginning of Monday's practice when they were stretching, several broke out into a chant of “Cable, bumaye, Cable, bumaye” in reference to the crowd chants heard by former heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali during his 1974 fight against George Foreman.
Hanson was working with the defensive backs, but hasn't been seen at training camp since shortly after the fight supposedly took place.
Elsewhere
BUFFALO:Terrell Owens is back on the practice field after the receiver missed a week nursing a sprained toe.
DENVER: The Broncos acquired defensive end Le Kevin Smith from New England for a fifth-round pick. The Broncos think he'll add depth as they transition to a 3-4 scheme.
INDIANAPOLIS: Defensive end Raheem Brock will miss the rest of the preseason after breaking his left hand Friday night.
NEW ORLEANS: The Saints waived cornerback Jason David. He has played two seasons in New Orleans, where he arrived as a free agent in 2007. David, 27, spent his first three NFL season with the Colts.
N.Y. JETS: Defensive end Shaun Ellis was suspended without pay for the team's regular-season opener and fined $100,000 by the NFL for violating its substance abuse policy. Ellis, 31, was arrested in November and charged with marijuana possession, speeding and driving without insurance.
ST. LOUIS: Quarterback Marc Bulger has broken the pinkie finger of his throwing hand and could be out for at least two weeks.
OBITUARY:Burl Toler, the first African-American official in NFL history who went on to work one Super Bowl, has died in Castro Valley, Calif. He was 81. Toler was hired by the NFL in 1965, becoming the first black official in major American team sports.
He was head linesman for Pittsburgh's 31-19 Super Bowl win against the Los Angeles Rams in 1980.
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