FOXBORO, Mass. -- Guard Ron Wooten, former assistant player representative of the New England Patriots, broke ranks Friday with the striking NFL union and accused union head Gene Upshaw of racial 'maneuvering.'
Wooten, 28, was the team's assistant player representative for two seasons before resigning the post last year.
Although Wooten rejoined the team in defiance of the strike, he willnot play when the Patriots host the Cleveland Browns on Sunday due to a right knee injury.
'I've been wavering since we walked out,' Wooten said. 'When Gene (Upshaw) made it public he's making this into a racial issue, I didn't think I could be a party to that kind of maneuvering.'
Upshaw, the NFL Players Association executive director, said Thursday he is viewed by league owners as 'black, militant and hostile.' He said the owners may try to divide players 'along the lines of black and white.'
Wooten, who is white, said Upshaw's comments are 'the kind of thing that could really set the league back several years.'
On the first day of the strike, Wooten termed the Patriots 'the least militant team in the NFL.'
Wooten, a seven-year veteran, was one of several Patriots to break ranks on Friday, including star cornerback Raymond Clayborn.
