Kevin Byard Talks Pay Cut, Refuses To Get Into His 'Feelings' On The Subject

Titans star safety Kevin Byard spoke with the media on Thursday following the team's final minicamp practice of the week.

Mark Zaleski / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

NASHVILLE - Just as he plays the game on the field, Tennessee Titans star safety Kevin Byard was all business when he stepped behind the podium to address the media for the first time this season since rumors of his team asking him to take a pay cut during the offseason arose. 

After the third day of the team's minicamp, Byard,  who had not spoken during the first two days, came out of the locker room, stepped behind the podium, and began speaking.

"I just want to address a couple of things," began Byard."First and foremost, I want to address the whole OTAs and things like that." 

"I have been in communication with the coaching staff, really early into the off-season, before all of this news and all this stuff came out," continued Byard. "I was going to have my own plan to be able to train on my own. Obviously, every player on this team is in a different stage of their career. I'm very comfortable obviously being with Shane (Bowen), being with this coaching staff, Vrabel, for five years, being with Shane being our coordinator for the last four. I'm very comfortable being within the defense."

 "I have stayed in communication with the coaches this entire offseason about any new stuff we had, any new nuances that was coming out within the defense, but had enjoyed training on my own and felt it was very important. It really was never any doubt from the coaches or on my end that I wasn't going to be here for minicamp."

Byard is scheduled to make a base salary of $13.6 million this season, with a cap hit of $19.623 million, with a base of $13.6 million and a $17.823 million camp hi in 2024.

Photo By: Greg Arias/AllTitans.com

"I mean, I don't really want to get into my feelings or anything like that, said Byard. "I guarantee you I will not be the last player, and I haven't been the first player they've come to about a pay cut. You know, I let my agent and the organization, or obviously Ran, the GM (Carton), handle those things. I felt it was very important for myself for me to come here and be a leader. Be the leader and person I've always been, making plays, communicating, and things like that, so that's who I'm always gonna be, so I just thought that was very important to me."       

Byard repeatedly stated that he would not get into his feelings and did not get close to sharing what might have been on his mind following the team's request for him to take a pay cut. However, perhaps what he didn't say spoke as loudly as what he did say on Thursday.

 As for if this is the final chapter in this saga, Byard made it clear where he stands. 

"Man, I just control the things I can control because, like I said, there was no doubt about me coming here (for minicamp), so I didn't want to, like this is not a whole thing of me coming here, like 'I'm here.' It wasn't nothing like that. 

"This was always the plan, and I'm going to continue to work my plan this offseason, so yeah, it really had nothing to do with all that."  

When asked if he would be present next week for more team OTAs, Byard was very non-committal.

I don't want to get into all that right now," Byard said.

Though this may be the end of the story, at least for Byard and what he is willing to share, it seems as though there could still be at least one more twist along the road, and depending on what happens then, Byard could face similar questions one again in training camp.   
      

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