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What happened last year?
"I don't know. I can't tell you exactly what happened, why I didn't get the opportunities I didn't last year. I'm more disappointed than I have ever been. I just think now I'm able to move on from the situation. I guess you could say closure. Like I always said throughout the season I enjoyed my teammates, I enjoyed being around them. It was disappointing I couldn't play along side them, especially last year, and contribute to the team."
Did you expect to get released?
"There were some reasons to think I was going to get released. I thought with a new coaching staff there may be a new opportunity there within the Chiefs organization. But I also felt like this is a new coaching staff, they're going to bring in their guys, be comfortable with their guys they want so I didn't get my hopes up too much. I just thought going to OTAs, I could show I could be productive and things like that. But coming off the season I had, I didn't have much film on the field, especially on game day, I didn't play much last year. I was kinda 50-50 about everything. But it's the way it goes, this is the way this business is."
For real, though, there's no still no clear reason you were cut.
"That's part of my disappointment and the fact I just got released because who knows what the future holds, who knows what opportunities I may have outside of this release. The thing is, I was talking about how last year went and how I felt like I wasn't given an opportunity, not even on the field, an opportunity to compete for a job on the field.
"There were certain things that happened last year. I played slot the year before and I didn't get an opportunity to even line up in the slot in OTAs or camp so that was one of the strange things that happened to me. I just felt like the opportunity wasn't there. I don't know for what reason with me knowing every position on the field. I know that I contributed the year before and I know what I can do. I just felt that was a big disappointment right there. I was expecting to build on the year before. Coming in right after the lockout, getting in a rhythm with Matt [Cassel] and then try to build on that momentum into the next year and I wasn't able to do that. That was very disappointing."
Did anyone give you a clear reason you're not playing?
"I don't know. It was a lot of things ... they really didn't give me a clear cut answer. One of the things was I said in an interview prior to the season that I played outside in Arizona. I mean, I played outside in Arizona but I also played in the slot. My coach had told me that I said that. But I also played slot the year before so why don't you put me back in the slot, and let me contribute that way, or even put me outside where I have. They never had a clear cut reason why they didn't play me. I didn't want to just be a cancer to the locker room. I took my lumps and I continue to work."
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Was someone upset with the interview?
"It wasn't upset. I had went and asked how come I'm not getting slot reps and they said you said in the interview that you didn't play in the slot. But what does what I said in an interview have anything to do with my productivity on the field. It was things like that and I never got a clear cut reason why I wasn't playing."
Who's decision was it for you not to play?
"I guess it was everybody's. I can't point my finger at anyone. We didn't have a productive season so for me to sit around and complain what I was going through and things like that, they were going through enough, my teammates were going through enough. I was frustrated at times but the best thing I could do was continue to work, hope I could get an opportunity and hope they put me in there. And it didn't happen. Like I said, new coaches came in and I expected to maybe still be on the Chiefs but I'm not. Like I said I'm just waiting for my next opportunity."
Did this have anything to do with your relationship with Todd Haley?
"I don't know. I think one thing, and I told coach Romeo last year and even this year, when coach Romeo told me last year the last few games I had some productive numbers, especially the Green Bay game, the game he took over. I came here a couple years ago for Coach Haley because he's a familiar face and he brought me here but when I got here I developed a relationship with my teammates and I wanted to be here. I told coach RAC that I want to be here and I just want to be given an opportunity to play. That's all. I don't know what that was about but I worked hard, I played hard for the coaches around the building and I did what I needed to do."
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Were you disappointed about the comments Crennel made during the season implying he didn't know the playbook (and Romeo later clarifying that)?
"I was disappointed. I was really disappointed, knowing that I understand the game plan. I probably have a better understanding of the game plan than ... In my experiences, I know what to do, I know how to do it. I know every position on the field, outside and inside. It was disappointing it was said in that manner. He came back and said he didn't mean it in that way. When I heard about it I felt what was said, I don't know how it was said because I kept my mouth closed because I wasn't trying to ruffle no feathers, but when it was said it was disappointing."
Did you talk to Romeo after that?
"We talked. He came to me and told me he didn't mean what he said. I accepted it as it is. Like I said at the time I was really disappointed."
Did you speak with Andy Reid and John Dorsey?
"I spoke with them, we had a conversation. I spoke with the wide receivers coach and the offensive coordinator. I spoke with them and we had discussions about what went on last year and things like that. I didn't expect them to fully be committed on just [inaudible]. It was what it was. If they gave me an opportunity to be here then they did but this is a new regime with new people. They have to evaluate the whole team and they probably want to bring their guys in. I didn't expect to be here in OTAs, but if they gave me the opportunity, oh well that's fine with me, but there's no hard feelings towards them."
Do you hold anything against Romeo Crennel and Scott Pioli?
"No, I don't. At all. They did what they wanted to do. That's what it is. We didn't have a great season. I was disappointed my teammates had to go through the season they went through but it's just, I really don't have to say much. You could see the picture, you could see what went on. I didn't have to say much, I didn't have to say anything."
Could you have helped last year?
"Yeah, I definitely think I could've helped. I really could've helped last season. That's what I wanted to do. I know there's times I went up there and asked them why I'm even here, I'm just sitting around not being active in games and I really felt like I could contribute last year. And I kinda felt during OTAs it was going on, and even during preseason, I kinda thought I was going to be [in that position] then. My snaps weren't meaningful snaps, I felt like I wasn't being looked at when I was in the game and it was difficult. Then they finally just put me on the bench and didn't activate me and that's difficult also. But like I said it didn't really get across to me why they didn't play me. I like my teammates a lot and I wanted to be here. It was just a difficult situation last year."
Did you not speak up more last year because it was such a bad season?
"Yeah, I think so. That factored in and then just the way the season was going. I really didn't have to say much. The numbers on offense, it wasn't as effective as it was. With what everyone else was going through, there was just a lot of things the team was going through and I didn't want to be one more distraction, or one more headache. I'd rather be there for these guys than isolate myself from the team because I like my teammates, I enjoy being in the locker room with them and I didn't want to be a cancer for this team."
What went wrong?
"There's a number of things that went wrong. I'm not gonna put my finger on it. I think when you look at the numbers, the game film, you can see what went wrong. It was just a difficult situation. Everybody had a hand in it and it was just a bad season. I also feel like there's a lot of talented players there and we should've did a lot better than we did."
What's next for you?
"Going through this process. See where I'm at with other teams and things like that. That's what's next for me. I really don't feel bad. There's no worries in me. Just going to go out there and compete and hopefully I get the opportunity to go someplace and compete, which I felt like I didn't last year."
Can you still play?
"I definitely still have a lot left. I showed it in practice every week, I made plays in practice. Sometimes I thought they would activate me and put me in the offense but it never happened. A lot of coaches and my teammates saw what I was doing in practice and how I handled myself and I think that's going to carry me a long way."
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What did the other veterans on the Chiefs think about you getting benched?
"I don't want to get into that. I know how my teammates felt about me and things like that. I know they came over and told me and encouraged and kept my head in it throughout the season. One thing those coaches were thinking about is getting the younger talent and getting other guys on the field. It was just a difficult situation. Me feeling that I had a lot left, I still have a lot left in me, and going through that I guess you kinda enjoy, not enjoy, but you don't take for granted nothing anymore. You take for granted sometimes your opportunities, the few opportunities you had, and you don't take that for granted anymore."
Do you think Bowe will remain in KC?
"I think Bowe wants to be there. He's a great teammate. He's very productive on the field. You've seen that last year. He's one of the bright spots of the team, even last year. He's a good friend of mine. I think he wants to be there. I hope he gets what he deserves. For him, even coming into camp so late and the way he started off the season, he got slowed down with little injuries, but I think we all know that how productive he is and what a player he is."
Would you play in Pittsburgh with Todd Haley?
"I don't know what the future holds for me. I just think that I came out there and I was with coach Haley, and the situation I'm in now ... you just have sit back and look at things, see what opportunities I may have and what's going to benefit me. I want to get back to winning games. That's one of the big things, that's going to be a big part of my decision-making. Going somewhere where I can compete and have the opportunity to help the team win games. I'm going to look at the situation, see what I have in front of me. If I'm blessed to be back home and go with coach Haley and help contribute to win games then I'm fine with it. Right now I just got released the other day so I wasn't really thinking too much about this process. We'll figure it out sooner or later."
Did Reid and Dorsey give you a reason for being released?
"They felt they wanted to go in a different direction. And I understand that. I'd rather them do that rather than what happened last year. I understand that. It's a new group of coaches. They want their guys, who they feel comfortable here. I understand I didn't have much film last year. I played limited snaps and I was deactivated throughout the second half of the season. I understand the reason behind it and there's no hard feelings. I was hoping to go to OTAs and get an opportunity but I didn't. They're releasing me now so I can go look at other teams."