Bart Scott on new quiet demeanor: 'I've talked enough'

Barely a week would go by over his first two seasons with the Jets without the outspoken and sometimes outlandish linebacker making news with his non-stop yapping in the locker room. His nationally televised post-game rant following the Jets’ playoff win at New England, capped by his famous “Can’t wait!!” remark in anticipation of the AFC Championship Game, was the signature moment for the veteran linebacker.

But these days, you barely hear a peep from the guy. On a typical day in the Jets’ locker room, any number of prominent players — from Mark Sanchez to Santonio Holmes to Darrelle Revis to Plaxico Burress — holds court with reporters at their lockers. But Scott has pulled a disappearing act, avoiding the press by either not showing in the locker room, or quickly dressing and leaving.

Can this really be the same guy who brought “the juice,” as he often referred to his locker room screeds? It is, as he explained to me the other day in one of his rare interviews this season.

“I don’t talk. I’ve talked enough,” he said. “I really don’t have much to say. This is stuff I’ve been doing since training camp. I didn’t talk much then either.”

His locker room no-shows – which may ultimately get him in hot water with the NFL, which has a policy that mandates players must be available for weekly interviews — are by design. It’s not that he doesn’t want to be a distraction — he’s done that plenty the last two seasons with his brash talk. It’s more like the 31-year-old Scott not wanting to have his words take on reduced significance. Besides, he’s still chatty with his teammates, just not reporters.

“When you talk all the time, nobody really listens, anyway,” he said. “You can overexpose yourself, so I step back. You don’t want to talk all the time. You want to go out there and do stuff. I’m just going about my business.”

Scott also acknowledged that much of his talk the previous two years was designed to establish a mindset in the locker room. It was part of his plan, as well as head coach Rex Ryan, who made Scott his first big-money free agent signing, to give the Jets their swagger.

“I did that because of what we were trying to establish here,” he said. “I think that’s in place, so I’m not needed to talk any more. It’s time for other people to talk. I’m older now. I’m more mature. You don’t see me arguing on the field as much any more.”

But is Scott’s reduced visibility really a good thing, especially for an NFL linebacker who prides himself on his toughness, confidence and arrogance? And is the junkyard dog mentality that helped make Scott one of the league’s top inside linebackers just not there any more?

Scott insists that’s not an issue.

“It’s not affecting my play or who I am to my teammates or anything like that,” said Scott, who leads the Jets with 26 solo tackles and has 2½ sacks. “I feel better than I’ve ever been. I’m healthier. You can see the difference in how I’ve been able to run. You’ve got a lot of young talent around here to talk. It’s time for them to be heard from. It’s time for people to get to know them.”

Scott was once the centerpiece of the Jets’ front seven, but not any more. That’s David Harris, who signed a contract extension earlier this season and doesn’t come off the field. Scott comes off in most passing situations, and played only sparingly against the Patriots two weeks ago because Ryan wanted to use more defensive backs against Tom Brady.

Scott said he understood the decision, and didn’t second-guess the move, even though he would have preferred to play. The Patriots wound up running the ball more than expected, with BenJarvus Green-Ellis rushing for 136 yards and two touchdowns.

“People think that we gave up 140 yards to Green-Ellis with one real defensive lineman, two linebackers and eight safeties,” Scott said. “I mean, what do you think is going to happen? It’s already a given. You have to give away something.”

And what if Scott had been in there, especially on the final drive, when the Patriots ran it down the Jets’ throats?

“If I’m in there, maybe they pass,” he said.

Scott hopes to make his presence felt on a defense he believes is now beginning to emerge. No better time to show it than Sunday against the Chargers, one of the NFL’s most prolific offenses.

Can’t wait.

Quick hits

- So let’s get this straight: The NFL fines Troy Polamalu $10,000 for calling his wife on a cell phone to let her know he’s not badly hurt from a concussion, fines Packers linebacker Clay Matthews $5,000 for wearing yellow cleats that don’t match his uniform, and doesn’t fine coaches Jim Harbaugh of the 49ers and Jim Schwartz of the Lions for nearly coming to blows after last week’s game?

- Raiders newly acquired quarterback Carson Palmer was roomed with Matt Cassel of the Chiefs when the two were at USC. They’ll be on opposite sidelines when the Chiefs face the Raiders in Oakland, although Kyle Boller is expected to start for the Raiders.

- Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez needs just four catches to move into second place on the NFL’s all-time receptions list. He’s at 1099 and can pass Cris Carter (1,101) and Marvin Harrison (1,102). At age 35, he won’t catch Jerry Rice (1,549).

- Don’t disagree with Leslie Frazier’s decision to bench Donovan McNabb, just the timing. Putting rookie Christian Ponder in against the Packers may have been one game too soon. Besides, McNabb is 5-2 lifetime against the Packers.