Hall calls out Smith, plans to contact league office

By D. Orlando Ledbetter

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Washington cornerback DeAngelo Hall was still steaming hot over a skirmish on the Falcons' sideline during the game Sunday.

After Washington safety LaRon Landry hit Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan out of bounds in the second quarter, Hall, a former Falcon, got into a jostling match with several Falcons, strength coach Jeff Fish and head coach Mike Smith.

"I ran over there to kind of pull my guy away," Hall said. "One of their strength and conditioning coaches put his hands on me and started grabbing me. Then it went to various other guys pulling at me and grabbing me. Through the whole time, I'm trying to get the guys' hands off of me."

Falcons coach Mike Smith said he didn't know who the player was from the Redskins who was involved in the incident.

"Later on, coach Smith, Mike came over and grabbed me, talking [stuff] to me," Hall said. "Saying he'll kick my [butt] and all this other [stuff]. I definitely stay in Atlanta in the offseason. So if Mike Smith wants to see me, he can find me."

Hall earlier in the week spoke ill of Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff, who traded him on March 7, 2008, in one of his first moves with the team.

Hall was booed roundly during introductions and when he was announced as the punt returner twice.

But Hall said he was not emotionally charged up for his first time back in the Georgia Dome.

"Not at all," Hall said. "There was no emotion tied up in anything. I came out here to play ball and get a win. Beside that one situation on the sideline, which I felt like they initiated.

"I can't wait for guys to sit back and watch the replay. I can't wait to watch the replay. I'm going to be giving Commissioner [Roger] Goodell a call myself because something needs to be done about that."

Hall didn't think that Smith was simply trying to break up a fight.

"When he comes over to put his hands on you in a harmful way, something needs to be done about that," Hall said. "Like I said, I'm going to call Commissioner Goodell. Ray Anderson, who used to be with the Falcons, I know him very well, and he's the vice president over there in the league office. I definitely will be calling some of my friends to work out this situation."

Hall was asked again if he was contending that Smith came after him.

"Oh, yeah," Hall said. "He put his hands on me in a harmful way. Talking about that he was going to kick my [butt] and all this other [stuff]. That's not how you do things.

"It's a different story if he's coming in there to break up a fight up. ...  Then Fish was signaling to me [pointing to his biceps] how strong he is. Because he was putting his hands on me, pushing me and yelling at me and all this other [stuff]. Like I said, something is going to be done about it."