Brown Appeal Hearing Held

January 13, 2000 / 7:19 PM EST / CBS/AP

Suspended Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Orlando Brown didn't attend his appeal hearing in New York on Thursday, choosing instead to plead his case over the phone.

Brown, suspended indefinitely for shoving referee Jeff Triplette to the ground during a game last month, wasn't present for the one-hour meeting in NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue's New York office.

Tom Condon, Brown's agent, attended the hearing, which also included Tagliabue, members of his staff and Gene Upshaw, executive director of the players' union.

Brown's hearing was originally scheduled for after the Feb. 6 Pro Bowl, but league spokesman Greg Aiello said Tagliabue decided to "move up the timetable."

Few details emerged about the afternoon meeting, and the NFL released a brief statement saying only that Brown explained his actions by conference call.

A league spokesman said Tagliabue would make a decision on Brown's case "in the near future."

Condon didn't immediately return phone calls left by The Associated Press.

Browns spokesman Alex Martins said the team was represented via conference call by Lal Heneghan, the team's assistant director of football operations and general counsel.

Martins said the Browns wouldn't comment on Brown's case until it is resolved by the league.

Brown was suspended indefinitely on Dec. 22 for shoving Triplette to the ground in Cleveland's Dec. 19 home game against Jacksonville. Triplette had inadvertently struck Brown in the eye when he threw his penalty flag weighted with BBs toward the 6-foot-7, 350-pound tackle.

Triplette was not at the hearing.

Brown, whose father is blind from glaucoma, said concern for his eyesight caused him to storm back onto the field and shove Triplette. Brown suffered bleeding behind the eye and was hospitalized for six days following the incident.

Brown has already served a two-game suspension the Browns were off the final week which cost him more than $49,000 in pay. If he was suspended for part of next season, Brown could lose $125,000 per game based on his $2.1 salary in 2000.

Martin said pressure behind Brown's eye has been reduced and that his blurred vision has improved. He is being treated as an outpatient at the Cleveland Clinic.