Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora, who missed all of the 2008 season with a knee injury, used that surgically-repaired knee to walk out of team headquarters on Monday.
But he has since apologized, and Umenyiora plans to return on Tuesday.
“I made a mistake by leaving the facility today,” Umenyiora said in a statement released by the team, via Tom Rock of Newsday.
“I was wrong. I came in here this afternoon and met with coach Coughlin, coach Sheridan and coach Waufle and apologized and explained why I left the building; that will remain between us. I have no problem with our defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan or any of our coaches. That’s the end of it, as far as I am concerned.”
So while some are characterizing the issue as not being related to Umenyiora’s desire for a new contract, the reality is that Umenyiora has made his desire for a new contract clear in the past, and that such unfulfilled requests undoubtedly color every potential glitch that arises until the new contract has been obtained.