Giants Suspend Super Bowl Hero Plaxico Burress

New York Giants' Plaxico Burress, right, arrives at Manhattan Supreme Court for arraignment with an...

New York Giants' Plaxico Burress, right, arrives at Manhattan Supreme Court for arraignment with an unidentified man Monday, Dec. 1, 2008, in New York. Burress accidentally shot himself at a Manhattan nightclub Friday evening and was treated at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. He was released Saturday. (AP Photo/David Karp)

(AP)

The New York Giants expect Antonio Pierce to play in Sunday's game against Philadelphia while the team gathers information on the linebacker's involvement in a shooting that led to the season-ending suspension of star receiver Plaxico Burress.

Coach Tom Coughlin said Pierce would practice Wednesday with the Super Bowl champions.

"Each case is different, each is separate," Coughlin said when asked about the decisive action the Giants took against Burress on Tuesday — fining and suspending him for four games, the rest of the regular season.

The team also placed Burress on the reserve non-football injury list for conduct detrimental to the team, which means he won't be back for the playoffs, either.

Coughlin said there currently is no need to consider potential punishment of Pierce, the Giants' leader of defense.

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"There is no doubt we'll do the right thing," Coughlin added, "and that's no threat to the players, they know that."

The Giants punished Burress a day after he was charged with two counts of illegal weapons possession. He shot himself in the right thigh at a Manhattan nightclub early Saturday morning.

Pierce, who was with Burress, has not talked to police about his involvement since the incident. Authorities are trying to determine whether he tried to cover up the shooting; investigators impounded Pierce's Cadillac Escalade and are searching it for any blood or gun residue.

He might face potential charges and a possible suspension if he did.

Coughlin said Wednesday that he used two words in discussing the Burress' situation with the team — disappointment and sadness.

"That sums it all up," Coughlin said. "I had a conversation with Plaxico. He was very humble. He was remorseful. Obviously that doesn't change anything. But you have to understand that he is part of our team and our concern is with he and his family's well being, and the ability of him to get through this circumstance and be healthy again."