Jevon Kearse Jumps in the Benz Instead of Staying to Support His Teammates

by Jimmy on Oct 14, 2009 7:55 PM CDT in News Comment 35 comments

M.I.A. (AP Photo/Wade Payne, File)

Something that we haven't talked much about here is the deactivation of Jevon Kearse Sunday night against the Colts. I got the update on my phone walking into the stadium that Kearse was a healthy scratch. I was really surprised to see that. I wouldn't have been all that surprised to see him get replaced in the starting line-up, but Jeff Fisher deactivating a veteran player on the day of that game doesn't exactly happen every day.

Then on Monday the story took an even more interesting turn when it was reported that Kearse left the stadium once he was told instead of staying to support his team on the sidelines like all of the other inactive players. Kearse was asked about leaving today and was anything but apologetic:

"Once I got the official word I jumped back in the Benz and went home,'' Kearse said.

Nice. He also mentioned that he had family in town and that he didn't think one extra guy being on the sidelines was going to make a difference. Jim Wyatt mentions in that article that Kearse became defensive when asked if that sent a bad signal to his teammates.

You know what Jevon, it does send a bad message to your teammates and as a veteran player you should know that. This is pretty obvious sign that a guy cares more about himself than he does the team and even at 0-4, the Titans' record when he left the stadium, that is unacceptable.

To make matters worse Fisher has said that Kearse will not be fined for leaving the stadium. So I guess if you are a veteran player you can do whatever you want. Why not when the season has already gone down the crapper, right?

Now it is obvious that the season is over, and it is also obvious that Kearse is at the end of the line as an NFL player, but that still doesn't excuse the behavior and the message it sends to the rest of the team. What happens next week when Lavelle Hawkins is told for the 25th straight game that he isn't going to be active and he leaves the stadium? I mean him being on the sideline isn't going to change the outcome of the game...

Fisher said in his press conference on Monday that he is going to deal with it between he and Jevon. I hope he deals with it by making him inactive for the rest of the season since they are already playing for 2010. Might as well get guys like William Hayes and Jacob Ford work now since they will still be on the roster next season. They might also care more about how the team does than their wounded pride.

[UPDATE]- Here is a link to his interview from today.

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As I stated in previous post

Kearse said he was made inactive because Fisher said Kearse “wasn’t healthy.”

If that’s true, why isn’t he showing up on the injury report?

Who’s next to be deactivated?

Bring Back Vince Young!

by pigskinpundits.com on Oct 14, 2009 8:09 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

So now that he quit on the team...

……..does that mean he never gets to start again?

"Bite my shiny metal ass!" -- Bender Bending Rodriguez

"Life is just one crushing defeat after another until you just wish Flanders was dead."

by The Jade Scorpion on Oct 14, 2009 8:13 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

It was a different type of quitting

and you know that, but I did say above that he should be deactivated for the rest of the year.

Titans Blogger at Music City Miracles even though gramsey hates it.

by Jimmy on Oct 14, 2009 8:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Disagree.

It was the exact same kind of quitting. Whether it will have the same consequence is an open question. But it might.

Then again, Kearse has already given a whole lot of years to the organization, so if I had to guess, I’d say that’s why he’s getting a break here. My problem with that is that he was very well compensated for those years, which is why the organization doesn’t owe him a “special” break but in fact ought to treat him like every other player.

DannoE

"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one."

by DannoE on Oct 15, 2009 7:06 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

"it was a different type of quitting"

Jimmy, quitting is quitting. When you have the chance to support your teammates and you decide not to, that’s quitting on them – especially against Indy at home.

IF THIS HAD BEEN VINCE YOUNG, all the VY bashers would be piling on saying “he quit on his teammates.”

Bring Back Vince Young!

by pigskinpundits.com on Oct 15, 2009 7:39 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

quitting on the team in the middle of a game

when they are depending on you to lead the team as quarterback is not at all the same as getting pissed when the coach decides not to let you suit up in the first place and leaving. both are bad, but definitely not equal.

vince quit, jevon deserted. not the same.

The Dual Threat, Official Enforcer/Stat Geek of MCM.

by hal41605 on Oct 15, 2009 7:59 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thank you Hal

Jevon never had the chance to play in the game. So he is right that he couldn’t really make a difference on the outcome of the game. Vince decided he didn’t want to go back in a game that he was the starting quarterback in. It blows my mind that you can’t see the difference.

Titans Blogger at Music City Miracles even though gramsey hates it.

by Jimmy on Oct 15, 2009 8:01 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

yeah....

that’s not like KC quitting. nor can it be compared to VY’s, he did not actually say that he did not want to go back into the game, he said that he was trying to clear his mind so that he wouldnt go out and make the mistakes he did in the FIRST game of the season. plus he stayed in the stadium.

"Waiting for the return of the Mac"
"Let VY loose, give him the chance to play his heart out. for himself, for the titans...and for mcnair"
"Titans & Texans fan, dont bug me w/your petty b.s., life's confusing enough."

by kg_2005 on Oct 14, 2009 8:49 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

i wasnt sure how long it would take but we're seeing the first chinks in the armor

has JF lost the locker room?

"hey, quit reading these ridiculous words of wisdom and get back to work!"

by stetix01 on Oct 14, 2009 8:54 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Excellent question

Titans Blogger at Music City Miracles even though gramsey hates it.

by Jimmy on Oct 14, 2009 8:55 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

yeah...not lost....

but losing, if i had to make an assumption. just IMHO i dont think the team is behind jeff’s decision to stick with Kerry. i think the locker rooms behind VY, (think it was britt) said he wanted to have a chance to play with VY, everybody sees the potential and skill VY. except for the most important ppl i guess (not bud adams).

by kg_2005 on Oct 14, 2009 9:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

* and skill VY has

by kg_2005 on Oct 14, 2009 9:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Different assumption

OK if we are all going to guess why Fisher may be losing the locker room, my assumption is that it probably has more to do with a) failure to include an experienced kick return man on the roster in the first games, b) failure of the defensive and offensive coaches to provide effective adjustments and strategies in difficult game situations, c) unwillingness to admit and correct obvious problems until they cause several losses.

by JimR on Oct 14, 2009 9:34 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

My thoughts exactly

by T Coleman on Oct 14, 2009 9:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Clearly he had.

When was the last time you saw this team quit?

That’s right. Until this year, they never had. Which is why I think that the biggest percentage of the problem here is that Fisher is physically and emotionally burnt from McNair’s death and 15 years of non-stop coaching.

DannoE

"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one."

by DannoE on Oct 15, 2009 7:07 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

DannoE

Which is why I think that the biggest percentage of the problem here is that Fisher is physically and emotionally burnt from McNair’s death and 15 years of non-stop coaching.

you might be on to something.

Good point, observation

Bring Back Vince Young!

by pigskinpundits.com on Oct 15, 2009 7:45 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

hmmm interesting thought.

"hey, quit reading these ridiculous words of wisdom and get back to work!"

by stetix01 on Oct 15, 2009 3:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I back Kearse's actions 100% until I hear a legitimate reason as to why he was inactive

If it was for the pure fact that he wanted Dave Ball in there then that’s complete BS. Of all the horrible play of the defense, why was it Kearse that was made inactive. Why not KVB? What exactly has he done this season. It’s one thing to be there for your teammates, but it’s another to sit there and listen to the diarrhea that’s spewing from Fisher’s mouth.

Christie kicks it high and short...Gonna be fielded by Lorenzo Neal at the 25...He dishes it back to Wycheck...He throws it across the field to Dyson...

www.manningface.com

by Michaeltastic on Oct 14, 2009 10:10 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

*there’s

by CarlosLehder on Oct 14, 2009 11:22 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

I agree its strange fisher decided to deactivate j kearse and none of the other defensive ends. Kearse kvb and dave ball are all going to be fas next year, and probably not with the titans. I hope jeff fisher gets fired, or decides to start vy against the pats. Like many have said before theirs no reason not too. And bring back trapasso

by CarlosLehder on Oct 14, 2009 11:22 PM CDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs

The first line of this post should have read . . .

“Something we haven’t talked about much here because we were too busy discussing Vince Young’s body language as described and interpreted by the weekend psychotherapists at the Tennessean . . . .”

by Baha on Oct 15, 2009 12:10 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Thanks for the tip.

Titans Blogger at Music City Miracles even though gramsey hates it.

by Jimmy on Oct 15, 2009 8:02 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

just keeping it real.

by Baha on Oct 15, 2009 10:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

ummm

pretty much everyone around here, regardless of what they think about VY as a player or a leader, acknowledges that the way the nashville media puts vince and his every move, thought, facial expression, etc. under a microscope has gotten ridiculous.

The Dual Threat, Official Enforcer/Stat Geek of MCM.

by hal41605 on Oct 15, 2009 8:07 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Douchebag

Official MCM Hater!

Retire #9!

by gramsey712 on Oct 15, 2009 10:03 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The fluid that goes in the douchebag

by Baha on Oct 15, 2009 10:07 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't buy this one person doesn't make a difference bullshit either

If the guy cared about the team, he’d be on the sideline helping out all of the other defensive lineman that don’t have his experience, either because they are rookies or otherwise NFL rejects.

To some people, it’s just a paycheck. What an asshole.

by TNTitans on Oct 15, 2009 8:14 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs