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Bucs CB Talib explains helmet incident at practice

By FRED GOODALL

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Aqib Talib apologized to teammates Thursday for a helmet-swinging incident that marred one of the club's voluntary offseason workouts.

The second-year pro said he and offensive tackle Donald Penn "let our emotions get the best of us" during a closed practice Wednesday. Talib swung his helmet at Penn and struck cornerback Torrie Cox instead.

Cox, who was acting as a peacemaker, was cut on the face and received stitches.

"A small altercation that kind of got bigger than we wanted it to be," said Talib, a first-round draft pick in 2008 who also clashed with a teammate at the NFL rookie symposium last year.

"I've definitely got to work on it," the 23-year-old said, adding he was relieved that Cox wasn't hurt worse.

"It's a family. ... I'm sure a lot of us have brothers and sisters, and you fight. It comes with being a family. We're all brothers out here. Me and Donald, we're perfectly fine today. It's behind us. We're ready to work hard and move on."

Coach Raheem Morris said the matter would be handled internally, though Talib said the entire team ran as punishment Thursday.

"Any time you play this violent of a game, you always are going to have some kind of controlling your emotions issue ... and that's where a coach has to step in and help him where he has to learn," Morris said.

"He had a situation like this last year. And you saw him grow. Last year it was an off-the-field incident. This year it was an on-the-field incident. If he grows as much this year from this incident, then I'm going to love it. We're all going to love it."

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.