GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Wide receiver Antonio Freeman was benched for the Green Bay Packers' crucial season finale against Tampa Bay on Sunday for missing two team meetings Saturday.
 | |
| Antonio Freeman missed Sunday's big game vs. the Bucs.(AP) | |
"We have so much talent in this locker room, if you have one bad apple, it's not really beneficial anyway to have him around the team," kicker Ryan Longwell said after the Packers' 17-14 victory. "I'm not saying Free is that, but it's often better just to go with what you got."
Donald Driver replaced Freeman alongside starter Bill Schroeder, and Charles Lee, the only other wide receiver on the roster, moved up to No. 3. None of them were effective in Green Bay's victory, which they needed to maintain their playoff hopes.
After Freeman's latest in a long string of transgressions, coach Mike Sherman gambled by sitting down his former Pro Bowl receiver. The Packers needed to win to stay alive in the playoff hunt, but they missed out anyway when St. Louis beat New Orleans.
"I decided to sit him down for the good of the team," Sherman said.
General manager Ron Wolf, who fired Ray Rhodes as coach a year ago because the Packers lacked discipline under his direction, said he concurred with Sherman's decision.
"I certainly do. I agree with that," Wolf said. "I would prefer that Mike Sherman discuss that. He's much more familiar with the entire situation."
But Sherman apparently decided not to suspend Freeman on the basis on conduct detrimental to the team, which would have cost the former Pro Bowl receiver his one-game paycheck of $29,412.
In late October, Sherman elected not to suspend Freeman, but did fine him more than $9,000 for missed meetings when he didn't return on time from the bye week.
At the time, Sherman said: "If it was something that happened the night before a game, I think that (a benching) would be a very strong possibility."
After that incident, Freeman quit speaking with the media.
He quickly left Lambeau Field after the game Sunday. Sherman said the two would have a talk Tuesday before players clean out their lockers.
Freeman was fined $10,000 by the league last month for slapping the ball out of an official's hand in a 20-15 loss at Tampa. The unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty cost the Packers 15 yards and took them out of field-goal range.
Freeman has been a major disappointment since signing a $41.8 million contract 18 months ago following three outstanding seasons.
After getting a $10 million signing bonus and becoming the NFL's highest-paid receiver, Freeman had an off-year with 74 catches for 1,074 yards and six TDs. He reported to training camp in July insisting he would have a bounce-back season. But he finished with 62 catches for 912 yards and nine touchdowns this year.
Early in the season, he griped about his lack of production by blaming the coaching staff for not using him properly and took shots at Schroeder for not doing enough to draw double teams away.
Off the field, 2000 has been just as troubling for Freeman.
He's been sentenced to a year of probation, fined $1,000 and ordered to do 50 hours of community service after pleading no contest to obstructing police officers in Green Bay; was fined $458 and had his driver's license suspended for 15 days for failing to show up for a court hearing in Sheboygan after being ticketed for going 102 mph on Interstate 43 on Oct. 2; and was stopped and issued a warning for speeding in nearby De Pere.
Because of the way Freeman's salary is structured, the team can't easily part ways with him. If they were to waive him before March 15, they wouldn't have to pay him a $1.7 million roster bonus. But more than $7 million of his signing bonus would be accelerated into their 2001 cap.
Brett Favre, who has said Freeman needs to quit blaming others for his transgressions and realize that more is expected of a player after he signs a big contract, said he hoped Freeman gets back in Sherman's good graces.
"I think everybody deserves a second chance. Antonio is no different," Favre said. "I know from being around him all the time, he's a great guy. He's very talented. We've all had problems."
Favre said the Packers can't afford to break up the tandem that has accounted for 51 touchdowns, the league's leading active pair.
"I believe Free wants to be part of this football team." Favre said. "I'm the quarterback, and he's our go-to receiver. We need him on this football team."
AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service
Copyright 2000, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved