Browns' Winslow had staph infection

CLEVELAND, Oct. 20 (UPI) -- Cleveland Browns tight end Kellen Winslow says the mystery illness that forced him to miss a game two weeks ago was a staph infection.

Winslow, who returned to the Browns' lineup Sunday after missing a game against the New York Giants last Monday night, criticized Browns General Manager of Phil Savage for mishandling the situation by allegedly wanting to keep it quiet, The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported Monday.

Winslow said he was hospitalized at the Cleveland Clinic, adding that Savage treated him like a "piece of meat." The Browns, he said, have a problem controlling staph infections, with seven known incidents of infection in the past four years, including two for Winslow, the newspaper reported.

"There's obviously a problem (with staph) and we have to fix it," Winslow said. "Just look at the history around here. It's unfortunate, because it happens time and time again."

Savage declined to comment to the Plain Dealer about Winslow's comments, but the team has said in the past it is vigilant in maintaining sanitation in their facilities.