Patriots won't address controversy over player's 'joke' about gays

By Tim BrittonFOXBORO -- Several Patriots declined to comment on the controversy stirred Wednesday night by tweet from linebacker Brandon Spikes.

I'm homophobic just like I'm arachnophobic.I have nothing against homosexuals or spiders but I'd still scream if I found one in my bathtub !

— brandon spikes (@BrandonSpikes55) October 10, 2012

Spikes clarified that the tweet, like many he has posted on his account, was meant as a joke.

Every Patriot asked about the tweet declined to address it, with many saying they had not heard about it.

"I don't tweet so I don't really care about that stuff," offensive lineman Logan Mankins said. "I have no opinion one way or the other."

"If it doesn't have anything to do with Seattle, I don't care about it," said Vince Wilfork. "I'm too focused on playing the football game. I watch SpongeBob SquarePants at night; I don't have time to look at everything being said."

"To be honest with you, all my focus is on the Seattle Seahawks," Jerod Mayo said. "I don't even have Twitter, so I don't pay attention. I really have no comment on that."

"I haven't seen anything," said Wes Welker. "I'm not going to comment on it."