By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Corey Dillon didn't demand a trade on Wednesday, but the seventh-year tailback said if the Bengals plan to get rid of him, they should do it now and that a change would not be unwelcome.

Dillon said he wanted to respond to recent rumors that had him traded to Dallas and to media reports that examined his salary cap status and age and the possibility that the Bengals could trade or release him after the season.

Asked if he preferred to be with another team next season, Dillon said, "I would prefer to be somewhere where I'm appreciated."

He didn't rule out returning.

"I'm smart," Dillon said. "I leave windows of opportunity open. It could be anywhere. Who knows? I'm just going to get to a place where I'm happy and I feel appreciated. And somebody recognizes my talent and I can achieve my goals.

"Wherever that might be, I don't know, but that's the first thing on my off-season list."

Dillon broke a 12-day media silence on the third anniversary of setting the single-game rushing record of 278 yards, broken earlier this season by Jamal Lewis.

Dillon expressed frustration to a reporter and a Bengals Web site employee in the locker room, telling other reporters who approached, "Beat it. I don't like you guys."

During that interview, he said, "Do I feel a little bit stepped on? Yeah, I do. Have I been feeling this way for a long time? Yes, I have. It has nothing to do with the new regime here, the coaches. This boils back to '97, and it's been like this for a long time with me."

Further comment from Dillon was not expected. Coach Marvin Lewis was asked after the afternoon practice for his reaction.

"He feels he's not been treated very fairly by the media," Lewis said of Dillon. "He feels like he doesn't get a fair shake no matter what he does and he doesn't feel like he can defend himself. It ain't us, it's you guys."

After practice, Dillon held an impromptu news conference in the stadium pressroom, across a hallway from the locker room. In a rambling question-and-answer session with reporters, Dillon focused on being under-appreciated and under-used.

Told that Lewis attributed his unhappiness to media treatment, Dillon said, "You guys ain't my friends. That's nothing new. I understand that. I knew that when I came here in 1997.

"I want to be traded because the media keep talking about me? Come on, man, get real. You guys ain't my only problem, believe me. Coach is being coach. I don't know your conversation. I had a conversation, and I said what I said."

Dillon's season has been affected by two injuries: a strained groin suffered Sept. 21 against Pittsburgh and a hyper-extended knee the previous week at Oakland.

He took exception to reports that even suggested that seven years and 1,789 rushing attempts have taken their toll on his body.

"My groin is going to be fine," Dillon said. "Quote me on this: When I'm healthy, I'm unstoppable. Period. Yeah, I obviously haven't been running the way I normally run because my groin is hurt. I don't think anybody with a (strained) groin is going to be out there floating around like they are 100 percent."

Dillon started Sunday against Baltimore and had 18 carries for 39 yards, including a 2-yard touchdown. He said he wasn't close to being 100 percent healthy.

"But you know what, because Corey Dillon is a soldier and he loves to play football, he went out there anyway," Dillon said. "But that goes under-appreciated."

Dillon has rushed 62 times this season for 203 yards. His season-high in attempts was 19 at Oakland.

"When was the last time I had 30 carries?" he asked.

Dillon rushed 30 times for 138 yards in a loss to Tennessee on Oct. 27 last year.

"When I was healthy, it wasn't like we were carrying it 30 times a game," he said. "In order to compete with the big boys in this game - the big boys are getting it 25-30 times. I'm not going to be able to compete 14 times a game."

In the previous three seasons, 2000-02, Dillon had 969 rushing attempts. Only Tennessee's Eddie George, with 1,061, had more. Ricky Williams had rushed 944 times.

Dillon reiterated his desire to win a Super Bowl.

"I got records. I got stats out the yin-yang," Dillon said. "But it don't mean nothing to me unless I get a Super Bowl. However I get there, whatever I got to do, I'm going to get there. Whether it's here or somewhere else.

"I'm going to leave it like this: I'm going to be somewhere contending for a Super Bowl. Next time you see CD, you're going to see CD hoisting a Super Bowl trophy."

Still, Dillon had nothing but praise for Lewis and the changes the coach has brought to Cincinnati.

"Marvin's a great man. Great program," Dillon said. "I'm not talking about the Bengals This is a prestigious organization. He's doing great things here. This is about Corey Dillon."

Dillon is in the third year of a five-year contract. And the NFL's trade deadline passed Oct. 14.

"Create something," he said. "Ain't nothing permanent. Ain't nothing concrete. You sign a contract with your wife, and you can get rid of her, can't you? Like I said, that's a lifetime contract."

Dillon also dispelled the possibility that his comments - four days before the game with Seattle - could be a distraction for the Bengals. They are one game out in the AFC North after upsetting Baltimore. The trade rumors were about him, Dillon said, not his teammates, and he can respond.

"Trade me if you want to," he said. "They already planted the seed, buddy. The tree is going, it's growing out of control. It's like Jack and the beanstalk.

"I'm telling you, me somewhere else, I'm going to be a superstar."

E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com