Tennessee Titans wide receiver Kenny Britt (18) is introduced before a game against the Atlanta Falcons at LP Field. The Titans beat the Falcons 27-16. Mandatory Credit: Don McPeak-USA TODAY Sports
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Kenny Britt is buried deep in the team’s doghouse, and he fell way out of favor early on in the season when he blew off his assignments, didn’t block, and showed too much frustration through either tweets or actions. Nobody was interested in trading for Britt at the deadline, which comes as no surprise given the Titans unrealistic asking price for the perennially disappointing receiver. This is a guy who has all the talent in the world and could be a star in this league, but injuries and his own bad decisions have hindered his progress significantly.
According to the Tennessean’s Jim Wyatt, Kenny Britt is unsure as to why he is so far in Mike Munchak’s doghouse this season, “I am definitely surprised with me not playing. I really don’t know the reason, and I don’t ask the reason why, I just go out there and do my job. Since I have been benched I have been working 10 times harder … to show what I can do.”
The benching looks like the one thing that has finally gotten through to Britt’s head, and he must also be feeling the strain of an unproductive season in a contract year. If Britt wants to receive a good deal in the offseason, then he will need to produce. But he obviously can’t produce if he’s saddled on the bench. With Ryan Fitzpatrick starting now that Jake Locker is out for the season, targets in the Titans passing game will likely be thin, too.
Britt admitted that he is frustrated but stated that he won’t show it, “It is definitely frustrating, but I try not to show it. I don’t want to show it because it is not about me. But I can promise you I am definitely going to keep fighting until the end.”
That’s definitely a wise decision, especially for a player with his past. He has every right to be frustrated, but the big key for teams is whether or not he has truly matured. It seems like he has since he’s saying and doing the right things right now, but it’s still a tough sell. Britt has caught just eight passes this season, so he will need at least one team to bank on his upside when free agency rolls around.