It wasn't your typical Wednesday in the Patriots locker room.
At the outset of the allotted time for the media to interview players, WR Randy Moss waved reporters over to his locker to discuss a developing personal situation. He began by saying that the allegations against him are false.
"It's something I've been battling for the last couple days, threats of going public if I didn't pay 'X' amount of dollars," Moss revealed. "Before people rush quick to judgment, I think you need to find out the facts about what is really going on. This young lady, by no means, is hurt. I didn't hurt her."
As first reported by a Florida radio station, a woman is seeking a restraining order against Moss. In an affidavit filed in Broward County, Florida, the woman, who Moss acknowledged is a friend whom he has known for 11 years, claims he caused her serious injury and then refused to allow her to seek medical attention.
At this point, it is unclear exactly when and where the alleged incident took place.
"I want to make something clear," Moss added. "In my whole entire life of living, 30 years, I have never put my hand on one woman, physically or in an angry manner.
"All I know is … it was an accident where she hurt herself … they called me, called my attorneys, trying to get 'X' amount of dollars out of me, and if 'we don't get 'X' amount of dollars' they were going to go to the press before this game."
After his two-and-a-half-minute statement, Moss said he wouldn't take any questions from reporters as he ducked into the training room. A short time later, he returned to his locker and decided to field some questions.
"For someone to make a false claim about me, I'm kind of furious," he said. "If I'm right, I'm right. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong … I felt that I did nothing wrong. It was an accident. Whatever happened, it was an accident.
"So, I brought it to Coach [Bill Belichick] and said 'Look Coach, I'm being threatened to do something that I have no idea of what I need to be doing.' I was advised to just focus on playing football and then I'll handle this once the season is over. Whenever the season is over, I plan on sitting down and really getting to the bottom of this."
Later this month, a Florida court will hear the matter.
"Right now, I have a job to do," Moss said.
And that job is to prepare for the AFC Championship Game against the San Diego Chargers.
Bolts are re-charged
"Earlier in the year, a lot of teams probably wrote them off," LB Adalius Thomas said of the Chargers during his press conference prior to practice.
Since Thanksgiving, however, San Diego has played some of the best football in the league.
"It's a very challenging defense we're going to face," QB Tom Brady observed during his turn at the mic. "They've got 48 turnovers, averaging three a game, they've got five in the playoffs. Giving up 13 points a game, undefeated since Thanksgiving. They got depth at corner, they can rush the passer. This defense will challenge us more than any defense we've faced all year."
"The Chargers are a great team, that's why we're playing them in this game," TE Benjamin Watson added when he addressed the media Wednesday. "They do all those things: rush the passer, run the ball well, thorw the ball well. We know that as a team we need to play better than we did against Jacksonville to beat them."
Wednesday Practice/Locker Room Notebook
The Patriots practiced outside on the Gillette Stadium playing field. It was a full-pads session.
Two players were absent: OL Ryan O'Callaghan and S Mel Mitchell. Black jerseys were awarded to practice squad OL Dan Connolly and third-string QB Matt Gutierrez.
Two players who were in training camp with the Pats back in August have been signed to the practice squad: LB Kyle Bissinger, wearing number 48, and DB Gemara Williams, sporting his old jersey number 42.
