FOXBORO — From the moment he turned around and addressed reporters on Wednesday morning in front of his locker, Adalius Thomas looked like he wanted to get something off his chest.

The man, who is in his 10th NFL season, did not tell reporters he did not want to talk. He faced reporters and carefully couched all of his answers to the questions he knew were about to be asked.

 

He admitted he was “shocked” by Bill Belichick’s decision to sit him for Sunday’s game against Tennessee.

“Ask Bill,” Thomas said when asked if he thought he was having a subpar season. “He does all the evaluating. He knows all of that. I don’t do expectations.”

 

But Thomas stopped far short of trying to read Belichick’s mind as for the reason behind the benching.

 

“Ask Bill, Thomas said. “He has all the answers.”

 

Before being held out on Sunday, Thomas was not having the best of seasons. Thomas, signed to a five-year, $35 million contract prior to the 2007 season, had just 12 tackles in the first five games and no sacks since registering one in the season opener against Buffalo.

  

Clearly frustrated that he wasn’t included on the active roster, something most veterans assume automatically, Thomas began to answer question after question. He said Belichick was not the man to deliver the news. That was left up to Thomas’ linebackers coach, Matt Patricia, who called Thomas and informed him he was not playing.

 

“It was a surprise to me, too,” Thomas said when reminded that his scratch was a big surprise to fans and reporters. “I’m doing fine. I found out when you guys found out. I come to work every day, be a professional and do my job and do what I’m asked to do. That’s the only thing I can do.”

 

The conclusion made by many was that Sunday’s move was designed to motivate or light a fire under Thomas.

 

“I don’t need something like this to fire me up,” Thomas said. “You just go out and do your job. This is not Kindergarten. I don’t play mental games.”

 

On the Patriots depth chart, Thomas is still listed as a starting outside linebacker. Asked if his role had changed significantly, Thomas responded like a player who is waiting on that answer himself.

 

“I just do what I’m told,” Thomas replied. “So, that’s how things are. He just [says] who plays, he makes all the personnel decisions. I think you all probably want to huddle up with him and find out. When you all find out, I find out.”

 

The 32-year-old linebacker watched Sunday from his home as the Patriots dismantled the Titans, 59-0, feeling happy for his teammates but still in a very odd position. Now, Thomas, like the rest of New England, waits and wonders if he will be active for Sunday’s game at Wembley Stadium against 0-6 Tampa Bay.

 

“You come here, do your job,” Thomas said. “It’s bigger than me. We went out we had a good game. We won as a team. A great performance as a team, our best game so far, so we’re moving onto Tampa.”

 

Thomas said it’s time to move on.

 

“That’s over with,” Thomas said. “Last Sunday is done. Let’s move on to Tampa. It’s bigger than me. These guys had a great game. We’re trying to overshadow it by what happened to one person. No one person is bigger than the game. No one person is bigger than the team. I don’t want to make it seem it’s about me because it’s not about me. Bill makes the decision. It is what it is. Whether you like it or not, that’s what it is. I live with it.

“I’m a professional. I come here, do my job and then go home. That’s basically it.”

 

He said that he and Belichick were “fine.”

 

“It’s not about me,” the linebacker said. “You all keep wanting to make this about me. It’s bigger than me. It’s about us playing Tampa. Our team versus their team. So, it’s not about me and Bill. We’re fine. It seems like you all have a bigger problem with it than I do. I’m fine, I’m fine. I come to work, do what I’m asked to do. And whatever decision that Bill makes, I respect that from a player’s standpoint to a coach. Whether I agree with it or not, is something totally different. But it’s not about me. It’s about the Patriots versus Tampa right now. It’s not about me.”

 

Will he play on Sunday in London? And if he does, what role will he play?

 

“That’ll be defined on Sunday,” Thomas said. “Every week, everybody’s role changes. And so whatever it is you’re asked to do, whatever that may be, you go out and do it. Big, small, whatever it is.”

 

Will he be ready?

 

“I’ll be ready,” Thomas said. “I’m ready every Sunday.”