HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. ? (AP) ? Jets running back Kevan Barlow apologized to 49ers coach Mike Nolan for comparing him to Adolf Hitler in a newspaper interview.

 

Barlow, who was traded from San Francisco to New York on Sunday for a fourth-round pick, made his inflammatory comments to the Contra Costa Times in Wednesday's editions. Jets coach Eric Mangini said Wednesday he has spoken with Barlow, and the player is sorry for what he said.

 

"I thought his comments were inappropriate,'' Mangini said. "After he said it, he wished he could have those words back. But he can't. Kevan has already called coach Nolan to talk to him about that, which I think is important.''

 

Barlow was upset with the trade, mainly because Nolan assured him he wouldn't be dealt. He told the newspaper Nolan was a "first-time head coach with too much power.''

 

"He walks around with a chip on his shoulder, like he's a dictator, like he's Hitler,'' Barlow told the paper. "People are scared of him. If it ain't Nolan's way, it's the highway.''

 

After making the comments, Barlow called back to say he didn't mean to make the comparison, blaming his outburst on his emotions.

 

"I was kind of harsh on him, saying he's a dictator. That's bad. Saddam Hussein is a dictator,'' Barlow said. "I was speaking on emotion.''

 

Barlow was outspoken during his time in San Francisco. He had some spats with teammates and coaches, including a long-running feud with fullback Fred Beasley. The players quashed their fight last season.

 

When told of Barlow's latest comments, Nolan told the newspaper, "It's unfortunate he feels that way.''

 

"Personally, I feel Kevan is a good kid,'' Nolan said. "When I came here I heard negative things about him and trouble in the locker room. When I was here, I thought he did the right things, like calling me if he was late or calling if he said the wrong thing to the media. As long as he was here, he was a model citizen.''

 

The Jets acquired Barlow to bolster their depth, with Curtis Martin on the physically-unable-to-perform list

because of a lingering knee injury. Barlow was told about the trade just before the 49ers left for their game against Oakland on Sunday.

 

He took a red-eye flight to New York and arrived Monday morning, passed his physical, and was limited in practice. He was excused from practice Tuesday so he could catch up on some sleep. But that didn't stop him from criticizing Nolan to the newspaper.

 

"It was dirty. He had no respect for me or the organization,'' Barlow said. "He doesn't know about the

49ers way, and that's too bad because even his dad (Dick) was coach of the 49ers. Bill Walsh set the standard there, and he ain't living up to it.''

i'm so glad that loser is gone...he's garbage, and an a**hole

Frank Gore (steal of the draft last year) is already 10x better