ESPN NFL

Posted by ESPN.com’s Paul Kuharsky

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Jevon Kearse wasn’t contrite about not sticking around to be with the Titans during their blowout loss to Indianapolis Sunday night after learning he was inactive.

Kearse

His first comments since then might best be characterized as odd.

Coach Jeff Fisher said he didn’t have an issue with Kearse over it and wouldn’t fine the defensive end, who was a healthy scratch.

I think every guy who’s deactivated from now on can rightly wonder whether he can simply go on to do whatever he feels like.

“I’m not even getting into that right there,” Kearse said when I asked if that wouldn't be the case. “It happened. I left. I went home. What can we do now? It’s not going to change the record or the season or anything else.”

It feels as if Fisher, arguably enduring his worst stretch of coaching and decision-making during his lengthy tenure, isn’t holding Kearse accountable here. We saw a lot of that the last time this team had a major down cycle.

Pacman Jones was the centerpiece of much of it. Kearse in no way deserves to be on a list with Jones, a major troublemaker. But the defensive end who’s been a stand-up guy for his two terms with the Titans handled himself questionably Sunday and again when talking about it.

Kearse said Fisher told him the team didn’t feel he was healthy, though he was not on the injury report. William Hayes started and Dave Ball saw action.

The other important bits from what Kearse said to the large crowd at his locker:

• “First, I wanted to go hang out with my family and friends that I had in town. And second of all I didn’t think one person not on the sideline was going to make a difference in this game, so …"
• “Until I can get more healthy and do more things out there they are going to let someone else get it done.”
• “I’m just not moving like myself.”
• “I kind of knew that it was going to happen throughout the week or whatever.”
• “I don’t know what’s going to happen this week. Sunday is a long way away.”
• “I got there in my street clothes later than I was supposed to. I knew it was going to come. I just wanted to get the official word and once I got the official word, I jumped back in my Benz and I went home.”
• “I feel like I could help it a lot [going forward] but it’s just a matter of what route they want to go.”
• “I used that time to spend with my family, I wasn’t angry at all. I used that time to hang out with my family and then not get stuck in traffic leaving the game and things like that.”
• “I can only do what I am given a chance to do.”
• “It was real tough [to watch] but I’m not going to kill myself, man. I mean I’m still good.”