Detroit Lion Apologizes for Trash-Talking Marching Band

The Detroit Lions' 22-9 loss to the Packers wasn't the ugliest thing that happened on Lambeau Field on Sunday. Center Dominic Raiola has had to apologize to the University of Wisconsin marching band, after he reportedly trash-talked its members. "My interaction with the Wisconsin marching band was inappropriate," he said in a statement, per the Detroit Free Press. "I apologize to those I offended, along with all of the members of Wisconsin’s marching band." Raiola will also make "a significant" donation to the band.

One blogger says he spoke to band members who say that Raiola called the tuba players "fat" (among nastier words), and "repeatedly" made homophobic slurs against a trumpet player, also threatening to sexually assault his sister with said trumpet, the Free Press reports. "I didn’t hear that personally on the field," says the Lions' coach. "No other coaches did." Raiola has been fined for similar behavior twice before, but following his apology, the team's president released a statement saying, "due to Dominic’s sincere and appropriate response, there will be no additional disciplinary action by the team." (More Detroit Lions stories.)