Denver Broncos CB Aqib Talib calls ejection 'unfortunate'

Denver Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib opened up about his role in a fight with Oakland Raiders wide receiver Michael Crabtree that saw both players ejected from Sunday's game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.

While Talib expressed a measure of remorse for the first-quarter altercation, he also said on Monday that Crabtree started the fireworks by punching Denver teammate Chris Harris on the previous play.

"I came out there to play football on Sunday," Talib said. "I really don't know what (Crabtree) came out there to do. I just came out there to play football. He came out here on his extra stuff -- one thing led to another, man. It's unfortunate. I wish it didn't happen, but it happened."

Talib also said that he wasn't defending Harris when he ripped Crabtree's gold chain off his neck. Harris accused Crabtree of punching him in the stomach on the play before the melee.

"If you see the play, I didn't defend Chris," Talib said. "He punched Chris, and the next play he came and punched me. He was on his whatever he was on. I wasn't even defending Chris this , you know what I'm saying? That wasn't even a problem."

Both Talib and Crabtree were given unnecessary roughness penalties. Raiders guard Gabe Jackson also was ejected after making contact with an official during the incident.

"It's unacceptable. We can't do it," Broncos coach Vance Joseph said. "I'm not going to speak for the Raiders -- I'm not going to speak for their intent, but we can't do it. We can't lose our best corner in a game like that. It obviously hurt us down the stretch.

"I told our guys, if we can defuse those things, we have to defuse them. We can't fall into the trap of getting into a fight that ends up losing one of our best players. We can't do it. It's unacceptable. We can't do it."

Joseph was then asked if he expects consequences from the league.

"I'll say this, I'm not sure how it all started," he said. "Now, if the league steps in and they hand something down, that's their decision. Internally, no, because I'm not sure how it all started and when those things start, it's a fine line between once it starts and not defending yourself.

"Again, I'm not going to speak for the Raiders, I'm going to speak for our guys. I told our guys I don't want it, but once it happens, how does a guy not defend himself? Punches are being thrown and helmets are off. I don't want it to happen, but if it does happen you can't blame a man for defending himself. I want our guys to simply defuse and walk away. That's what I want."