The Tennessee Titans looked like they could be in for a good year in 2013 when they started out the season by winning three out of four against quality opponents. Then the wheels fell off and they lost eight of their next ten, closing out the season with two wins that did not mean a whole lot.
Delanie Walker, who set careers highs in receptions (60), yards (571) and touchdowns (6) in his first year with the team, said on Thursday that the Titans had several “cancers” in their locker room that dragged the team down.
“When we started losing more games, we got to see it more and more, it was just like it was falling apart,” Walker told The Midday 180 in Nashville, via ESPN.com. “And the players that were the cancer were dragging other players into that box with them, and the box was getting bigger and bigger. At first, it was just a small box. The box just got bigger and bigger.
“Everybody [saw] it. So I feel like these coaches are going to come in, they’re going to watch film and they’re going to see. They’re going to see what type of players that want to be here and don’t want to be here, and he’s going to get rid of them. I feel that’s what type of coach [recently hired coach Ken Whisenhunt is].”
Walker said there were up to six players who qualified as “cancers,” though he would not say who. He said there were a number of players who wanted out and “didn’t care” if the team won or lost. He also said those players cost Mike Munchak his job after a promising start.
“I felt like that is why Munchak is not back with the Tennessee Titans, because we had players like that that really let him down,” Walker said. “They didn’t show up to play for him. They really didn’t care if Munchak had a job or not.”
While Walker said a lot of the “cancers” had issues with money, you can’t help but think one of the players he was talking about is Chris Johnson. Johnson has blamed his offensive line for struggles and made it clear that he will not take a pay cut to remain in Tennessee. Many believe he will not be back with the Titans next season. I’d be shocked if he wasn’t one of Walker’s six.
