Yanda insists his spit was not directed at Bengals player

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Baltimore Ravens guard Marshal Yanda vehemently denies he spit in the face of a Bengals player at the end of a scrum last Sunday.

After a video circulated this week that showed spit dropping from Yanda's face toward prone linebacker Vontaze Burfict, some suggested the act was intentional.

Yanda said Wednesday that he would never do such a thing.

Yanda told reporters: "I would never, ever spit on another man, another person, individual, ever. On the field, off the field, never."

Yanda said he swiped at his own spit "to make sure it didn't land on anybody."

Now in his 12th season, Yanda is a six-time Pro Bowl lineman who never previously was put in position to defend his actions on the field.

He didn't like it one bit.

Yanda said, "My integrity and my character is being called into question, and that really matters to me."