Tim Brown, the Raiders' nine-time Pro Bowl selection and third-time nominee for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, said Monday on Sirius XM Radio that he believed Callahan "sabotaged" the Super Bowl by altering the game plan 36 hours before kickoff. Brown based his claim, on part, because of the relationship Callahan shared with Gruden, who had hired Callahan to be the Raiders offensive coordinator.
Tim Brown (81) says former Raiders coach Bill Callahan may have sabotaged Oakland's chances of winning Super Bowl XXXVII against Tampa Bay 10 years ago. (AP Photo/Mike Fiala)
"We all called it sabotage, because Callahan and Gruden was good friends, and Callahan had a big problem with the Raiders, hated the Raiders, and only came because Gruden made him come," Brown said.
Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice, speaking by phone with ESPN on Tuesday, sided with Brown, adding, "I was very surprised he waited until the last second and a lot of the players, they were surprised also. So, in a way, maybe because he didn't like the Raiders he decided that, 'Hey, look, maybe we should sabotage this a little bit and let Jon Gruden go out and win one.'
Callahan, who currently is the Dallas Cowboys' offensive coordinator, released a statement Tuesday night, saying, "I am shocked, saddened and outraged by Tim Brown's allegations and Jerry Rice's support of those allegations.
"Any suggestion that I would undermine the integrity of the sport that I love and dedicated my life to, or dishonor the commitment I made to our players, coaches and fans, is flat out wrong," Callahan said in the statement. "I think it would be in the best interests of all including the game America loves that these allegations be retracted immediately."
