FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) - The New York Jets trainer who tripped a Miami Dolphins player on the sideline during a game Sunday appeared to hold back tears as he apologized for his “inexcusable and irresponsible” actions.
Sal Alosi, the Jets’ strength and conditioning coach, said at a news conference at the practice facility Monday that he had not yet received any discipline from the team or the NFL, nor had he personally spoken to the league. He also said he had not offered to resign.
“I let everybody down yesterday with my actions,” Alosi said. “My actions were inexcusable and irresponsible.”
When asked if he was concerned about his job security, Alosi reiterated that he will accept whatever discipline is determined.
“It’s on me,” a contrite Alosi said.
The league is reviewing the incident in which Alosi stuck his left knee out and tripped Dolphins cornerback Nolan Carroll, who was covering a punt in the third quarter of Miami’s 10-6 win.
“I wasn’t thinking,” Alosi said. “If I could go back and do it again, I sure as heck would take a step back. It was just a situation where I wasn’t thinking.”
Carroll, a rookie, fell to the turf and lay there for several minutes grabbing one of his legs before walking off. He returned in the fourth quarter. Carroll twice broke his right leg while playing: once ending his senior season in high school and again in his senior season at Maryland.
“I’m extremely thankful that my actions yesterday didn’t result in any significant injury to Nolan or any other players,” Alosi said.
He added that he apologized by phone to both Carroll and Dolphins coach Tony Sparano, and spoke to Jets owner Woody Johnson, coach Rex Ryan and general manager Mike Tannenbaum about the situation.
It’s the latest embarrassing incident for the team that starred on HBO’s “Hard Knocks” during the summer.
The Jets were investigated by the NFL in September for their treatment of a female television reporter. The league responded to the situation involving Ines Sainz of TV Azteca by developing a workplace conduct program, underwritten by Johnson, to educate players and staffs of all 32 teams.
A few weeks later, wide receiver Braylon Edwards was arrested for drunken driving.
Star cornerback Darrelle Revis was ticketed for speeding while driving to the team’s facility for a meeting before a practice in October.
At a news conference in Miami, Sparano said Alosi sounded humbled and sorry when they spoke Sunday night.
“I’m not going to get into it a whole lot here fellas, but to be honest with you, it’s out of my hands,” Sparano said. “It’s in a million other people’s hands right now, but not in mine. … I don’t like what happened because a player could’ve gotten hurt, seriously hurt, but that’s where it is.”
Dolphins linebacker Karlos Dansby took a swipe at Ryan after the game when he heard about the incident.
“He’s just taking after the head coach, man. It all trickles downhill,” Dansby said. “That’s how I look at it, it trickles downhill. The head coach, he opened a can of worms over there and now he’s got to fix it.”
Carroll, who had an interception in the first quarter to set up a field goal, said after the game that he was not angry about the incident.
“We got a ’W.’ That’s not my problem,” Carroll said. “That’s the Jets’ problem. We just move on. I felt contact, but I’ve got to watch film. I can’t comment on it right now.”
Alosi was with the Jets from 2001-2005, then worked for the Falcons for one season before returned to New York in 2007 as the head trainer.
Alosi was a linebacker for Hofstra from 1996-2000, and even earned an award for sportsmanship and fair play both on and off the field during his college career.
“You’re asking me to give you a logical explanation to an illogical act,” he said. “I can’t do that. I can’t explain that.”
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