The Lions have not taken Bart Scott’s “dirtiest team” accusation lightly.
Days after Detroit head coach said, “consider the source” when asked about the comments by the Jets linebacker, defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham took it a step further.
“For him to call us dirty really ticks me off,” Cunningham told the Detroit News. “We play tough and we play hard and we’re going to continue to do that.
“Maybe if, what’s his name — Mr. Scott — maybe he will read this if you write it. I am livid. There’s no place for a player to make comments like that, or for a coach, either, and I’m not taking it, not from him. I’ve been around the horn too many times. I don’t coach dirty football and I never have.”
Cunningham, head coach of the Chiefs from 1999-2001, then pointed to a move by Jets special teamer James Ihedigbo in Gang Green’s 23-20 overtime win in Detroit on Sunday.
“(Lions safety Louis) Delmas hit a guy on their sideline and one of their players (James Ihedigbo) came off the bench and hit Delmas,” Cunningham said. “I’d like to tell you what I’d like to do to that guy if I ever saw him.”
Scott tried to put the incident behind him when told of Schwartz’s comments on Wednesday.
“I don’t have to play Detroit for another four years, so I could care less about what that man has to say,’’ Scott said. “He doesn’t even exist to me anymore. I don’t have to see him ever again.
“Am I going to see him in the Super Bowl or playoffs? Probably not. He’ll be watching TV in January.’’