In Buffalo, Rhodes admits Colts' disinterest hurt

April, 20, 2009
Apr 20
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By Paul Kuharsky
Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky

New member of the Buffalo Bills, Dominic Rhodes, talked to the media in his new town Monday and said he was surprised that the Colts didn't move to keep him and that he wound up a free agent for so long.

 Rhodes

The Bills hope he can help them, especially during Marshawn Lynch's three-game suspension at the start of the season. Buffalo's primary alternative, Fred Jackson, is an exclusive rights free agent who's not signed.

Here's a piece of the Rhodes' transcript that touched on Indy issues:

On if he was surprised that the Colts didn't make more of an effort to sign him and if he was surprised that he lingered on the free-agent market for so long:

"Both of them, I was real surprised about, especially after the year I had. The Colts, more bitter. I was a little bitter, and then I started to understand. It is a business and that's kind of how it goes. And I was like, 'OK, that's fine.' I know how Bill Polian is, but I knew they wanted me, I don't know. It was a frustrating time for me. As far as being on the market, that was also a frustrating time, I was like, 'Man, what's up?' I can't believe the year that I had and then I'm still sitting around. As everyone knows, it has a lot to do with some of the things that happened off of the field with me which I haven't shied away from. I've learned from them and it was two years ago, so I was like, 'Gosh, what's up?' That was definitely a reason why a lot of teams kind of shied away, especially even here with what's going on with Marshawn and Fred [Jackson]. They want to have somebody that they can rely on. That's with everyone. You have to respect that. That's kind of the reason, I guess."

On getting a chance to show the Colts what they're missing in the final game of the regular season:

"Oh, most definitely. You know, forget the last game, I'm talking about all 16 games. I want them to definitely understand that I'm hurt. I'm a little hurt. I'm excited about this situation and what's going on here. They're putting together some great pieces and it's a younger team and I think there's just a couple pieces here and there and that's what I've learned through my years of playing this game and being with the Colts. You get a couple pieces here and there, you knock out a couple pieces here and there that don't fit what you're doing or aren't even trying to fit what you're doing, and you can be in the Super Bowl before you know it and that's just how it goes."

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