Union president Mawae responds to Cromartie

DALLAS - Antonio Cromartie had some nasty names for his union leaders. Thursdaythe union answered back.

"I don't recall him being at one CBA bargaining session or him on one conference call with the player reps," NFLPA president Kevin Mawae said of the remarks made by the Jets cornerback after the season. Cromartie said the bickering over the collective-bargaining agreement had both sides acting like, well, the same anatomical expletive he used to describe Tom Brady.

"He has great reps in his room with Brandon Moore and Tony Richardson, so he does and he should know the information out there," former Jets center Mawae said at the annual NFLPA Super Bowl media session.

"Am I worried that more players will come out like that? Look, I represent 1,900 active players and thousands of former players. I have four brothers, we fight all the time, but at the end of the day, we're still family. With Cromartie, it's the same way.

"He might not understand all the issues - I understand everybody can take different points of view - but at the end of the day, he's one of us. I represent him just like all the others."

Part of Cromartie's frustration may stem from his being a free agent next month. Without a CBA, he has little chance of signing with the Jets or any other team. Fellow cornerback Darrelle Revis was on Radio Row at the Super Bowl Thursday saying he hopes the Jets re-sign Cromartie.

But Cromartie took heat from other NFL players such as Ray Lewis and Darnell Dockett, and he even threatened Matt Hasselbeck when the Seattle quarterback made comments about him on Twitter.

"There's always going to be some guys who don't like what you're doing and don't understand what's going on and feel like they have a right to speak out, and they do," Mawae said. "Cromartie's a great player. He's going to play for a long, long time and will be one of the guys who will benefit from the next CBA, I can promise you that."