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Mike Shanahan Calls Josh Morgan ‘Emotionally Explosive’ But Doesn’t Ask for Apology After Costly Penalty

Missed field goals and quarterback gaffes can be forgiven.

Losing your cool and chucking a football at an opposing player? Well, that's something else — especially if the hothead move costs your team 15 yards, a chance at a first down and maybe even the game.

But Redskins coach Mike Shanahan, who is not known for taking much foolishness on his football teams, was pretty even-tempered Monday when asked about receiver Josh Morgan's outburst during Sunday's loss to the Rams.

"There's no need for him to apologize," Shanahan said, according to USAToday.com. "There's a lot of guys who are emotionally explosive. When you get hit, your first action as a football player is to retaliate."

Morgan hurled a football at Rams cornerback Cortland Finnegan after Finnegan shoved him at the end of a play during a pivotal Redskins drive. Morgan was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, and a 4th-and-1 (and 47-yard field goal attempt) became a 4th-and-16 (and a 62-yard attempt). Kicker Billy Cundiff missed the kick, the Rams went on to win, and Finnegan had another feather in his cap when it comes to questionable moves he's made to help his team.

"One thing you have to learn is, more often than not, the second guy will get caught," Shanahan said. "That's part of a young guy growing up."

Shanahan said he talked to the team about the incident but didn't speak with Morgan individually. Morgan, in his first year with the team after four seasons in San Francisco, was remorseful after the game.

Morgan using Finnegan for target practice will be an early incident in the saga of the replacement refs and penalty calls in this NFL season, but perhaps the more intriguing storyline coming out of Washington now is a calm, forgiving Shanahan.