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DeAngelo going to commissioner over altercation
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ATLANTA — Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall says he will file a complaint with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell about what Hall says were cheap shots delivered by coaches on his former team during a sideline melee against the Falcons on Sunday.

Hall said he was just trying to pull teammate LaRon Landry away from the Atlanta sideline after Landry was called for a late hit on Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan.

Hall said Falcons director of athletic performance Jeff Fish tried to “get some licks in” and Falcons coach Mike Smith “cussed me out” as Hall was surrounded by Falcons players and staff members.

“I’m going to get on the horn with commissioner Goodell and we’re going to figure out a way how to nip this in the bud,” Hall said. “It’s different with me coming in trying to break stuff up and as a strength coach, if you coming at me and you’re trying to get (expletive) licks, that ain’t how you do things.

“They need to have some repercussions and something needs to happen to them, too. I’m definitely going to get on the phone with some of my guys up there and we’re going to try to figure out a way to nip this thing in the bud.”

Ryan had just stepped out of bounds when Landry delivered a blow to the quarterback’s back late in the second quarter of the Falcons’ 31-17 win.

As yellow flags flew, Hall jumped into the middle of things. Redskins coach Jim Zorn said he thought the melee was controlled.

“I thought everybody kept it together,” Zorn said. “I thought the officials handled it very well.

Hall appeared to be pulled away before any punches were thrown. He had talked all week of being bitter at the way he was treated by the Falcons, who traded him after the 2007 season.

He played in Atlanta for four years and made the Pro Bowl twice.

Hall said Landry’s hit “probably was uncalled for.”

“Their sideline got a little hot,” he said. “They started attacking LaRon and I’m trying to pull LaRon out and guys just started coming at me. Guys on their coaching staff. (Fish) was grabbing at me and pulling at me.

“It wasn’t any mindset to break the fight up. It was in a mindset to try to get some licks in. Even the head coach came over there. Mike Smith said some stuff, said some words to me, cussed me out. He was grabbing at me, pulling at me.”

Said Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez, “DeAngelo is a competitor. He’s very emotional. I’m glad nobody got hurt.”

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