Broncos CB Roby responds to ESPN analyst Witten's 'never quit' remarks

During a Monday Night Football loss to the Oakland Raiders on Christmas Eve, Denver Broncos cornerback Bradley Roby was taken to task by ESPN analyst Jason Witten, who intimated that the fifth-year player had quit. On Wednesday, Roby responded to Witten's comments. "You never quit in the NFL," Witten said regarding Doug Martin's run through the Broncos' defense for a 12-yard gain late in the game. ESPN's Booger McFarland added, "That's embarrassing.'' Using a Telestrator after the two-minute warning, Witten showed during a replay how Roby had stopped moving before Martin was finally tackled by defensive lineman Shelby Harris en route to a 27-14 Raiders victory in Oakland, Calif. "That last run there ... keep an eye on Roby," Witten said.

"It's a running play, watch this effort; the ball hits inside, he just stops, the play is still going, it cannot happen. [Head coach] Vance Joseph, I would pull him out because you never quit in the NFL.''Roby, who played with several stitches in his mouth after getting hurt the previous week against the Cleveland Browns, admitted he made a mistake for thinking that the play had ended but didn't like being labeled a quitter. "I was like, wow, I can't believe he went out of his way to do all that,'' Roby said. "It's unfortunate. I felt like he was reaching to say that because it was the end of the game. For him to characterize me as a quitter, quitting on my team, I feel like that's the most disrespectful thing you can say in a team sport. "For him to say that on one play -- it was really a mistake, I thought the play was over, I was wrong. But for him to say that, it just made me mad.

There are kids I go see at the children's hospital who have cancer, who are paralyzed, and I tell them don't quit. ... The game was over. ... I just felt like it was kind of unnecessary. On the play, it did look like I stopped, so I understand where he's coming from, but it was unnecessary.'' Joseph, the second-year head coach who's on the hot seat after the Broncos have struggled to back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since 1972, also reacted Wednesday when asked about Witten's comments. "I didn't see that,'' Joseph said. "Our team has maxed out every game we've played; we haven't won enough games, obviously, but how we play, how hard we play, it's no issue. "I love our ex-players; I love they're involved with the game. But they all forget, we could find plenty of tape with all the ex-players doing media, they've had issues. ... I have not questioned our guys (about their effort).''