Haynesworth apologizes to Dallas’ Gurode

After dialing his number all day with no luck, Tennessee defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth finally got the chance Tuesday to personally apologize to Andre Gurode for tearing open the Dallas Cowboys center’s face with a cleat.

Haynesworth spent much of the day getting nothing but unanswered rings and a full voice mail box, then connected in the late afternoon with Gurode, who needed 30 stitches to repair the facial cuts.

“The purpose of the conversation was to apologize,” said Haynesworth’s agent, Chad Speck.

Haynesworth was suspended five games without pay by the NFL – the longest punishment in the NFL for on-field behavior – for kicking Gurode’s helmet off, then swiping his cleated foot on his face while he lay on the ground. Speck said Haynesworth wouldn’t appeal, even though the NFL Players Association wanted him to try.

“He said Sunday night he would accept the league’s decision of what to do from a discipline standpoint, and that’s what he’s going to do,” Speck said.

The Dallas center plans to talk with his family about whether or not to press charges.

Shockey won’t be benched

Pro Bowl tight end Jeremy Shockey won’t be benched for comments that the New York Giants were outcoached in a recent loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

After first refusing to answer the question, coach Tom Coughlin said that Shockey would start against the Washington Redskins this weekend if his sprained right ankle was OK.

“We’ll see about his health and his condition,” a miffed Coughlin said after practice. “If he can go, he’ll start.”

•Giants weak-side linebacker Carlos Emmons will miss Sunday’s game against the Washington Redskins with a chest injury.

Kiel pleads not guilty

Chargers safety Terrence Kiel pleaded not guilty in San Diego to charges he shipped bottles of codeine-based cough syrup to Texas.

Kiel, 25, a starter with the Chargers, faces a maximum of seven years and four months in state prison if convicted of all five felony drug counts against him, according to Deputy District Attorney James Fontaine.

Kiel was arrested Sept. 26 in the locker room by Drug Enforcement Administration officials.

Officials with the DEA said Kiel admitted to shipping at least two parcels of prescription cough syrup to Texas via FedEx.

The agency has found widespread abuse in Texas of codeine-based cough syrup mixed with soft drinks or drugs and referred to as “lean.”

Fontaine said the district attorney’s office is still investigating where Kiel got the cough syrup.

Around the league

A day after two of his errors helped fuel a Philadelphia Eagles victory, 2004 first-round draft pick Ahmad Carroll, a cornerback, was released by the Green Bay Packers. … The Baltimore Ravens placed offensive guard Edwin Mulitalo on injured reserve after surgery to repair his torn right triceps tendon, and signed offensive guard Ikechuku Ndukwe to their active roster. … Assault charges in Waltham, Mass., were dropped against former New England Patriots linebacker Ted Johnson and his wife after the couple refused to testify against each other.