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Pro Bowl guard Ruben Brown believes he's in limbo, while Bills president Tom Donahoe says he's still part of the team -- at least for now.
Brown, who was excused but not suspended from playing in the Bills' final game against New England, talked for the first time since missing the contest about his future in Buffalo.
``At this point in time I'm in limbo,'' Brown told Buffalo's WGR-AM on Monday. ``But I'm not planning on leaving here and I'm not going anywhere.''
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Donahoe, speaking at a news conference announcing the team's decision not to
renew coach Gregg Williams' contract, commented on the decision by Williams
to leave Brown home for the season finale.
``I feel he is a part of this team,'' Donahoe said of Brown. ``What happened last week and how we go forward doesn't serve any purpose to air it out publicly. It's better served, once things settle down, to be settled internally.''
Brown and Donahoe will sit down and talk in a couple of weeks to discuss the nine-year veteran's future with the club.
``It's just going to be me and him so we can get an understanding of where the team is going and where I fit into the whole situation,'' Brown said. ``We're just going to play it by ear right now.''
Williams decided to excuse Brown for ``personal reasons'' because he showed up late for a practice earlier in the week.
``I can understand in no way would I be able to defend myself for being late to a practice or meeting, but I know that even though I was late I was still able to go out and play, and I wanted to go out and play,'' Brown said.
Brown said he has mixed emotions about the departure of Williams, who finished his three-year tenure in Buffalo with a 17-31 record.
``I respect the decision, but when you make a decision to change a head coach you also know that there is going to be a lot of other fallout as far as players, and as far as coaches,'' Brown said.
Brown, selected for his eighth consecutive Pro Bowl, plans on playing in the game in February, and hopes it won't be the last time he puts on a Bills helmet.
``I would like the opportunity to come back next year and dispel the rumors that Ruben's washed up,'' Brown said. ``I'm not a quitter and I did not quit. I would never leave my players hanging.
``Maybe, if anything, I
need to change about my game, I might not be as vocal. I love this team and
I have every confidence that Tom is going to be open-minded deciding whether
I'm going to be here or not.''