Former Packers coach Winston Moss: Tweet was directed at the fans

GREEN BAY - Winston Moss, the longtime Green Bay Packers assistant coach fired last week, attempted to explain the controversial tweet he posted last week during an appearance Sunday morning on Fox Sports’ pregame show.

Moss was a member of coach Mike McCarthy’s original staff in 2006 and worked as associate head coach the past four years. He was fired Tuesday hours after tweeting a message that appeared to take shots at McCarthy, interim head coach Joe Philbin and quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Moss said his tweet was not intended for that purpose.

“The tweet was directed at the Green Bay fans,” Moss said. “It was not directed toward anybody in the Packers organization, toward Mike McCarthy, Joe Philbin, Aaron Rodgers. The Packers Nation has a high standard. We’ve developed and created a high standard, and this season has been disappointing. So I tried to give direction, I tried to give purpose, and I tried to enlighten to say the least, and give my opinion on it. My opinion. So much that that worked out.”

When asked if he regrets the tweet, Moss told Fox Sports, “Not at all.”

In the course of the five-minute interview, Fox’s panel attempted to get Moss to open up about the inner workings of the Packers organization.

When asked if it was time for McCarthy to be fired, Moss said that was solely up to president/CEO Mark Murphy. When asked why it didn’t work out between McCarthy and Rodgers, Moss quickly pointed to the past success between the head coach and quarterback. When asked if Rodgers’ relationship with his former head coach got McCarthy fired, Moss said he did not know their relationship well.

“Come on,” Moss said, laughing. “I’ve gotta deal with Clay Matthews.”

Moss was asked for his opinion on who should be the Packers' next head coach.

“Aaron Rodgers has been the head coach for the last nine years,” Moss said before a quick pause. “I’m just joking. Just joking. Just joking.”

On Rodgers’ involvement in the coaching hunt, Moss did allow that the Packers “should listen to his input” during the process. Asked if he believes Murphy and general manager Brian Gutekunst won’t include Rodgers, as they have said, Moss said yes but gave a wink.

“But the final decision should rest with the decision makers,” Moss said.

On Thursday, Packers defensive coordinator Mike Pettine said he was disappointed in how the situation developed with Moss.

"Winston had been here for a long time and been a fixture. It was difficult," Pettine said. "And it bothered me a little bit, it was put out there, some things about Winston and I not communicating, and that couldn’t be further from the truth.

"Winston, as we all know, is not the most communicative person. But, I mean, he’s on the defensive staff. It’s logistically impossible not to have interaction. That we talk through as a group when we’re watching a play, and there’s an issue, (it’s), ‘Hey, what are you telling your guys, what are you telling your guys?’ And getting feedback.

"I learned a lot of football from Winston and I’m very appreciative of that, about edge defender play, pass rush, and it’s an unfortunate thing, but moving forward we were very fortunate to have Scott McCurley here, who had been the linebacker coach last year, primarily with the inside guys, but he knows our system very well and was able to step in and had to take some of his responsibilities and spread them through the rest of the staff, but I would say it’s certainly something we can handle and I’m confident that Scott will do a good job with them."