Phillips: Team not questioning Barber's toughness

Dec 8, 2008 - 9:32 PM VALLEY RANCH, Texas (Ticker) -- Dallas Cowboys coach Wade Phillips on Monday sought to calm the media waters, one day after team owner Jerry Jones publicly questioned the toughness of injured running back Marion Barber.

Barber did not travel with the team for Sunday's 20-13 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers due to a dislocated right pinkie toe.

"I don't think anybody, Jerry or myself, are questioning Marion Barber's toughness," Phillips said at his daily media briefing. "I don't want to speak for Jerry ... I just don't think we've questioned his toughness."

Yet Jones told the Star-Telegram that Barber should have been able to play if he taped the calf properly and used a brace to protect his toe.

"He can play with that injured toe," Jones said. "He can play with the soreness and a combination of those things. I see nothing that led us to believe he couldn't."

Phillips, however, said he was told by the team trainer it would be better for Barber to stay in Dallas and receive treatment.

"Originally we thought he would play," Phillips said. "We determined he couldn't play."

While the coach suggested the story may have been blown out of proportion by newspaper "headline writers," he sounded as if Barber would play in this week's showdown against the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants.

"He's going to try and practice this week. I know he's feeling better," Phillips said. "Again, I don't want to speak for Jerry ... but he's one of the toughest guys we have."