Browns accuse Kellen Winslow of verbally abusing public relations official after game against Redskins

In a copy of Kellen Winslow's suspension letter obtained by The Plain Dealer, it's revealed Winslow was not only suspended by the Browns for statements they felt were disparaging to the club, but also for what the team described as "profane verbal abuse of a Club's public relations member in the locker room" following the game at Washington.

While Winslow was sitting at his locker last Sunday preparing to be interviewed, he asked director of communications Amy Palcic to leave so he could speak to a reporter. It was clear he wanted to speak his mind without a member of the public relations staff listening. It's common practice for one of them to be there when big-name players such as Winslow and Braylon Edwards are interviewed.

Neither Winslow nor Palcic raised their voices during the exchange, which went like this, according to The Plain Dealer's audiotape, which can be heard on cleveland.com.

Winslow: "Amy, I'm good. Can you please stop playing big sis and leave? Seeing what I'm going to say and sh-?"

Palcic, who was standing a few feet away, remained where she was.

Winslow: "Um, Amy, can you please leave?"

Palcic: "Talk if you want to talk."

Winslow: "What?"

Palcic: "Talk. I'm not going to cut you off."

Winslow then answered questions for about four minutes, telling reporters he was upset with General Manager Phil Savage for not calling him while he was in the Cleveland Clinic with a staph infection and that he felt like "a piece of meat." He also admitted during that portion of the interview that he thought about asking to be traded before last week's deadline and informed Savage.

Palcic attempted to end the session midway through, but Winslow continued. Then, in the middle of a question about his contract, Winslow was beckoned by running back Jamal Lewis. Winslow told him: "I'm good. Let me get one more." But Lewis persisted and Winslow walked away and joined him.

Palcic declined to comment Friday, but Browns spokesman Bill Bonsiewicz, when asked if another exchange took place with a member of the PR staff, said, "Yes, I was made aware of another exchange, but due to the fact there's a pending grievance, I'd prefer not to comment beyond that."

After Winslow spent about 10 minutes away from his locker, he returned, sat back down and spoke to a reporter for a few minutes. Then he motioned The Plain Dealer over for a one-on-one interview. During that session, Winslow revealed his previously undisclosed illness was a staph infection and said "there's obviously a problem [with staph] and we have to fix it."

"Just look at the history around here. It's unfortunate, because it happens time and time again," Winslow said.

During that interview, Edwards, who was a few lockers away, waved his arms back and forth at Winslow to try to get him to stop talking. Winslow gave him the thumbs up and said he was good. Another member of the Browns PR staff, Reagan Berube, listened in. When Winslow finished, the locker room period was over.

In the suspension letter, which was on Browns letterhead, hand-delivered to Winslow and signed only by coach Romeo Crennel, it says "you made public statements that were inappropriate, inaccurate, portrayed the Club in a false light, and diminished the Club's reputation. In addition, you engaged in profane verbal abuse of a Club's public relations member in the locker room following the Redskins game."

It tells Winslow his actions "significantly disrupted and adversely affected the Cleveland Browns team and organization, and cannot be tolerated."
Winslow has appealed his suspension for Sunday's game in Jacksonville and the hearing is set for Tuesday in Cleveland in front of arbitrator Rosemary Townley. Winslow's attorney, Adam Kaiser, said he insisted the hearing take place Friday or today so Winslow would be eligible to play in the game if it was overturned.

Because Kaiser requested the hearing be expedited, the arbitrator had seven days in which to hear it and chose Tuesday, according to NFL spokesman Greg Aiello. If Winslow loses the appeal, he will forfeit his $235,294 game check. If he wins, he will recoup the money. The two sides can also agree on a settlement beforehand.

Also, in response to Savage's remarks in an interview on WTAM AM/1100 on Thursday regarding Winslow's illness, a source with knowledge of the situation said: "It's just staph. It was a bad staph infection."

Savage said during the interview: "Due to the nature of this particular situation, it seemed that the people involved wouldn't want it out there. So our hands are tied in certain situations. And it was all agreed upon. It's a nonfootball illness. It occurred during the bye week."

(cleveland.com)