Robbins Expresses Remorse

The agent for Barret Robbins said Monday that the Oakland Raiders’ All-Pro center has bipolar disorder and that he expressed “remorse and deep sadness” for not playing in the Super Bowl.

Robbins, 29, remains hospitalized because of his condition, agent Drew Pittman said in a statement to ESPN. Pittman has not returned calls from Associated Press.

“Barret would like to express his remorse and deep sadness for the events surrounding the Super Bowl,” the statement said. “He knows many people have been hurt by his actions, including his family, his teammates, the Raider organization, the Raider Nation, and the game of football.”

The statement, which acknowledged that alcohol was a factor in Robbins’ troubles, marked the first time the player has commented publicly since he disappeared Jan. 25, the day before Oakland lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 48-21, in Super Bowl XXXVII at San Diego.

The 6-foot-3, 320-pound Robbins has a history of depression and reportedly had stopped taking his medication. A friend who told a newspaper he’d been drinking with Robbins the night before the game said Robbins was despondent and talked about suicide.

Last week, Coach Bill Callahan indicated that Robbins might return to the team.

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The Detroit Lions hope to hire Steve Mariucci as their coach by today after trying to reach a deal for the last six days.

“While there was significant progress made during those discussions, no deal has yet been finalized that would make Steve our next head coach,” Lion spokesman Bill Keenist said.

Mariucci, who was born and raised in Iron Mountain, Mich., was fired by the San Francisco 49ers on Jan. 15 after compiling a 60-43 record with four playoff appearances in six seasons.

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Green Bay Packer running back Ahman Green could face up to $450 in fines and have his driver’s license revoked for up to one year after he allegedly failed to report a traffic accident last week.

Green’s sport utility vehicle crashed through a fence separating Interstate 43 from another highway west of Sheboygan, Wis., and the driver left the scene without notifying law enforcement officials, Sheriff’s Lt. LeRoy Nennig said.

“We knew it was Ahman Green’s truck because the license plate fell off his vehicle, and we found it by the fence,” Nennig said.