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Sunday's sideline confrontation between Derrick Mason and Joe Flacco has generated a lot of attention in the Baltimore area, largely because while Mason has been involved in similar incidents in the past, it's seemingly the first time that the mild-mannered Flacco has been involved in an in-game spat with a teammate.
Mason got in Flacco's face during the third quarter of the Ravens' win over the Panthers on Sunday after a Flacco pass was not thrown to him quickly enough, and Ravens' quarterback responded by yelling right back at Mason. The two players had to be separated by coaches and teammates.
Mason and Flacco both addressed the incident today.
"Everybody's not happy or chummy all the time, especially on a Sunday," Mason said. "Guys get into it. Heat of the moment, you say some things. Things happen. You put it behind you and move on."
There were reports that Mason grabbed Flacco's facemask during the incident. Mason was not willing to confirm nor deny those reports.
"I'm not going to tell y'all that," Mason said. "Me and Joe are OK. We're fine."
The veteran wide receiver is known as a fiery competitor and a bit of a hothead in the midst of competition. Mason's had a few incidents in the past where his emotions have gotten the better of him, but he says he's not going to change the way he plays.
"If you don't like it, so be it," Mason said. "Watch somebody else play. This is how I play. I'm going to continue to be passionate."
For his part, Flacco chose to shrug off the incident blame it on the competitive atmosphere of Sunday's game.
"I'll let it stay up to whatever the different accounts are," Flacco said. "It was Sunday. We were in a good battle, and things happen on the sideline sometimes. I was laughing 10 seconds after it was over."
Flacco was asked if he feels like sideline confrontations aren't that big of a deal in general.
"Not really. I guess it can be, but not between me and Derrick," Flacco said. "I've known how to deal with [issues with teammates] through high school and college and your time in the NFL. I think you're always going to deal with those kinds of situations, whether it's you that's pissed off or it's one of your teammates.
"Everybody is going to be a little heated at some point. You've got to learn how to deal with it and get by it."
Neither Mason nor Flacco appears to think that the incident will linger or create any issues going forward.
"Whatever transpired, transpired," Mason said. "That's still my guy. That's still my quarterback. That's still one of my good friends on the team. I think it's one of those things that will blow over. We come in here and laugh and we keep it moving."
