National Football League

Titans' Scaife not sure if remarks got him benched

Published Dec. 25, 2010 10:32 p.m. ET

foxsports

Titans tight end Bo Scaife doesn't know if talking about a possibly divided locker room got him benched. That also isn't stopping him from talking about what could be his final days with the franchise.

''My gut feeling tells me just to not worry about that and get these next two games over with, and then we'll see,'' Scaife said. ''I've enjoyed my time here. I love being a Titan. They gave me my first opportunity. They helped mold Bo Scaife into being an exciting NFL player for the first six years of his career.''

Scaife has been playing on a year-to-year basis with Tennessee the past few seasons. The Titans tabbed him as their franchise player in 2009 for a salary of $4.46 million and took advantage of the league's labor deal allowing them to offer him a one-year tender for $4.9 million this year.

Scaife played in college at Texas with quarterback Vince Young. Last week he told a reporter he thought support in Tennessee's locker room might be divided between Young and coach Jeff Fisher. Then the Titans benched him against Houston.

Scaife had started 12 of the 13 games he played in this season but said he didn't know if his comments led to his benching.

''Coach. Coach makes all the decisions on the team,'' Scaife said. ''So if he felt that I needed to be inactive and that was the best decision for the team, then that's how he felt.''

Fisher said the team needed some players at other positions, and he wanted more work for Jared Cook. Craig Stevens got the start in Scaife's place. But Fisher expects Scaife to be active Sunday when the Titans (6-8) visit Kansas City (9-5).

Scaife said he feels as if he's had only an average year with 36 catches for 318 yards and four touchdown catches. Two of those came Dec. 9 in a 30-28 loss to Indianapolis, just before he was benched.

The tight end said he appreciates everything the Titans have done for him. He said he's learned as a veteran to handle certain situations and about the business of the NFL.

''I'm not the first person to go through this or the last person,'' Scaife said. ''I know how to handle it, and I'll always take the high road and enjoy myself. ... I'm not here to be a distraction.''