Jan 29, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) addresses the press during media day in preparation for Super Bowl XLVII between the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
NEW ORLEANS (USA TODAY) - Joe Flacco is sorry for saying Monday that an outdoor
cold-weather Super Bowl is a "retarded" idea, a statement he tried to
take back as soon as he said it.
"Obviously, it was a bad choice
of words. I wish I hadn't said it," the Baltimore Ravens' quarterback
said Tuesday during Super Bowl XLVII Media Day. "I have a great
relationship with Special Olympics back in Baltimore and have had one
for many years. I didn't mean to offend anybody, but I definitely
apologize for it."
The Baltimore Sun quoted
Flacco during an appearance for Special Olympics this past summer as
saying, "Special Olympics is such a cool organization. A lot of kids
come out here and give it their all. The amount of fun that they have
when they go out there and do it is out of this world. That's what it's
really what it's about. It's about having fun. It's about showing little
kids that want to play this sport how much fun it is. And I think when
you get a chance to hang around the kids that compete at this kind of
thing it allows me to kind of step back for a second and realize how
lucky we are to be doing what we're doing."
Flacco's flub drew
headlines, which is something he rarely does. In fact, Joe's father,
Steve Flacco told USA TODAY Sports the entire family is "boring."
But he means that in a good way.
"I
don't know if I would say I'm dull but probably close to it," Joe
Flacco said with a laugh, adding: "I think he takes that as a
compliment. He (my dad) looks at that and says, 'He's not out there
doing anything crazy or making a joke of himself. I raised him the right
way.' I think that's how he takes it."
Flacco took a rare misstep in this case, but his teammates believe he'll be the same, old, dull Flacco.
"Look
at my quarterback. Let's see if his expression changes in the next two
questions," linebacker Terrell Suggs said from the neighboring podium.
"Look at that - nothing. The guy is stone."
Mike Garafolo, USA TODAY Sports