MCCARTHY COMES BACK TO SPEAK TO PACKERS PLAYERS

» Fired shortly GREEN BAY, WIS C . after Sunday’s loss to the Arizona Cardinals, former Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy didn’t get a chance to say goodbye to the team he coached for most of the past 13 seasons.

On Wednesday, he got his chance. Interim coach Joe Philbin allowed McCarthy back into Lambeau Field to speak to the team, and the players bid him farewell with a standing ovation.

“He held it together as much as you can,” third-year defensive tackle Kenny Clark said on Thursday. “It was emotional. It was emotional for all of us. Mike came in, and we were surprised he was even coming in. Seeing him, gave him a round of applause and thanked him. He was emotional about it, we were all emotional about it.”

Linebacker Clay Matthews spentall10NFLseasonswith McCarthy.

“I was happy to see him,” Matthews said. “Obviously, first thing’s first, you understand that this is a business and not many people get that opportunity. For him to invest the past 13 years in this team, has given his heart and soul to us, to have that kind of closure, it was great of the organization.

“I know we really enjoyed it. I’m sure he did from a closure standpoint. Obviously, we gave him the respect he deserved and sending him off with some final words.”

The Packers enter Sunday’s home game against the Atlanta Falcons having lost five of the past six games to tumble to 4-7-1. Sunday’s loss to the Cardinals, who were only 2-9 at the time, sealed McCarthy’s fate.

Less than three hours after the game ended, the team announced McCarthy’s firing.

Wednesday’s return provided some closure.

Foster’s ex-girlfriend details abuse allegations.

W A SHINGTON

Reuben Foster’s ex-girlfriend tells ABC’s “Good Morning America” that he slapped her and pushed her during an incident in Tampa, Florida, that led to his arrest for domestic violence.

Elissa Ennis said in the interview televised Thursday that Foster abused her three times, most recently last month in Tampa. The 24-year-old Foster was charged with one count of first-degree misdemeanor domestic violence.

The San Francisco 49ers released Foster after the incident, and the Washington Redskins claimed the second-year linebacker off waivers.