NFL warns DT Warren over Roethlisberger comment

Friday, November 12th 2004, 8:03 pm

By: News On 6

CLEVELAND (AP) _ The NFL gave a warning to Browns defensive tackle Gerard Warren on Friday, a day after he said he would try to hit Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in the head this Sunday.

``We notified the team, including Gerard Warren, that if a player commits a flagrant foul after making such a statement, it may be a decisive factor supporting the suspension of the player, depending on the entire set of circumstances,'' said Greg Aiello, the NFL's vice president of public relations.

Warren told reporters Thursday that the Browns need to rattle Roethlisberger.

``One rule they used to tell me: Kill the head and the body's dead,'' Warren said.

He said if the Browns can shake the confidence in Pittsburgh's rookie QB, they might be able to stun the Steelers.

``I didn't say knock him out of the game, I said just go across his head a time or two,'' said Warren, who was fined $35,000 in his rookie season for a cheap shot on former Jacksonville quarterback Mark Brunell.

Asked if Warren's history factored the warning, Aiello said: ``It's standard procedure if comments of that nature are made.''

On Friday, Warren said he was not misquoted. He added that he was not speaking for the Cleveland organization.

``People might have taken it in the wrong sense,'' he said. ``That's just me and explaining the way I approach football. I play it on a violent level and it's a violent game.''

Warren, who has battled injuries, has just six tackles and two sacks in four games this season.