While NFL Network analyst Warren Sapp claims he has it on good authority that tight end Jeremy Shockey was the “snitch” who spoke out about the New Orleans Saints’ bounty program, Shockey is vehemently denying that accusation. Shockey came out to Yahoo! Sports’ Jason Cole yesterday and blasted Sapp for calling him out.

“It’s reckless, it’s careless, it’s hurtful to me and the great time I had with the Saints,” said Shockey, who played for the Saints from 2008 to 2010. “[Saints coach] Sean Payton is a father figure to me. I would never do that to him or to the Saints.”

Sapp hasn’t backed down from his insistence that Shockey leaked word of the bounty scandal, even clarifying to Cole yesterday that “I trust my source unequivocally.” In response, Shockey offered multiple times to take a polygraph test, even saying he’d do it on live television.

The free-agent tight end even took it one step further, taking a cheap shot at Sapp personally.

“Sapp can say what he wants about me, but if he really says that he’ll put his life on the line for his source, we’ll see,” he said. “I’ve never been a guy who failed multiple drug tests. I’ve never been divorced. I don’t have four kids by four different women. I don’t lie. This attacks my character and it’s not fair.”

It was reported earlier today that free-agent Jeremy Shockey was interested in rejoining the New York Giants. Amani Toomer, a former teammate of Shockey on the Giants tweeted that he doesn’t see it happening. He also said that Shockey is a “bad teammate, worse person.”

@garymyersNYDN No!!Shockey”I will never play4 you again!”he yelled at jerry Reese in 08. Let him keep his word. Bad teammate, worse person.

— Amani Toomer (@AmaniAToomer) March 15, 2012

Shockey demanded a trade from the Giants following the team’s 2007 Super Bowl victory. At the time, he was reportedly upset that he was being used more as a blocker than a receiving tight end. He is now a free-agent.

Toomer played for the Giants his entire career. In 13 seasons he totaled 668 receptions and 54 touchdowns.

Carolina Panthers tight-end Jeremy Shockey will return to play in 2012, according to ProFootballTalk.

While some previous reports from team officials made Shockey’s NFL future unclear, sources with knowledge of the situation told ProFootballTalk that the Pro Bowler “isn’t calling it quits.”

Shockey, a 10-year veteran, will be a free agent in March. Last season for the Panthers, he had 37 receptions for 455 yards and four touchdowns. For his career he has had 547 receptions for 6,143 yards and has 37 touchdowns.

Carolina Panthers tight end Jeremy Shockey accused several Houston Texans players of being unpatriotic at Sunday’s game, according to the Houston Chronicle.

“I was pretty upset in the way they weren’t showing respect to America during the national anthem,” Shockey said. “This is America and you should at least give respect to America.”

Shockey claimed that he saw “about 10 players” who didn’t place their hands on their chest during the national anthem.

During the Panthers 28-13 victory over the Texans, Shockey pointed and yelled at linebacker DeMeco Ryans and cornerback Jason Allen after catching a nine-yard touchdown pass.

Ryans, in response to Shockey’s comments, questioned the tight end’s patriotism.

“If he’s so patriotic, why was he looking at our bench instead of the flag?” Ryans asked. “Where did he come up with the number 10? Was he counting? Why was he paying attention to us during the national anthem?”