NASHVILLE, Tenn. —Delanie Walker admits he's a little bitter.
The Titans tight end wasn't voted to the Pro Bowl, despite leading all tight ends in catches this season.
But he's not surprised.
"I already told y'all what was going to happen, so I am not surprised at all,'' Walker told reporters on Wednesday. "Am I bitter? I have mixed feelings about it. I don't really know how I didn't get in, so I am a little bitter about it.
"But I am actually happy for the guys that got in, they all played well this year."
Walker and defensive tackle Jurrell Casey were both named first alternates in the Pro Bowl voting process (one-third fans, coaches and players). Despite being left off the initial Pro Bowl squad, there's a good chance the players could still represent the Titans in Hawaii. The Pro Bowl is scheduled for January 31, a week before the Super Bowl. Regularly, players elected to the Pro Bowl are forced to pull out of the contest because they're competing in the Super Bowl, or because of an injury.
New England's Rob Gronkowski, Carolina's Greg Olsen, Kansas City's Travis Kelce and Tyler Eifert of the Bengals were the tight ends who made it instead of Walker, who has broken franchise record for catches (76) and receiving yards (935) for the Titans this season.
Carolina's Kawann Short, Tampa Bay's Gerald McCoy, Philadelphia's Fletcher Cox, Arizona's Calais Campbell, Cincinnati's Geno Atkins and Aaron Donald of the Rams were the six tight ends who made the team ahead of Casey, who is tied for the team lead with seven sacks on the season, and he leads the team with 24 quarterback pressures.
Casey, who turned down a chance to go to the Pro Bowl in back-to-back years as an alternate, said he'd go an alternate this year. Walker said on Wednesday he'd also go after turning down a chance to go as an alternate last year.
"I'll go this year,'' Walker said. "I was stubborn last year, and upset a little bit. People say I should be way more upset this year. But I'll, and represent the Tennessee Titans, and have fun.
"But I am not going to focus on it. If they call, they call."
Walker kidded he might have to change his approach in the future to get noticed. He also noted it would help to win games.
"If you feel like you've played out and accomplished a lot on the field, you want to be recognized. You can have the stats and all that, but I guess that doesn't matter nowadays,'' he said.
"I guess I've got to do more. I guess I've got to dance and act crazy and get in fights and get flags."
Later, he said he wouldn't change.
"I'm never going to dance," he said. "I'm 31-years old. I'm not about to dance around the end zone."
Casey wasn't in the locker room to discuss his Pro Bowl snub, but Walker spoke up for him.
"I think Casey, man, this is the third time he's (been overlooked). That's just ridiculous to me,'' Walker said. "I don't get it. But when you are not on a playoff team, you can get overlooked.
"We both haven't said anything to each other. We expected (not to get voted in) and it did."
