You might have seen New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr yell at teammates multiple times during the team’s loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars last week. What you could have overlooked was the broader importance of his conduct. A importance that has far-reaching consequences than a single individual yelling.
Derek Carr publicly showed his displeasure with his teammates, including yelling at Chris Olave, who did run the improper route. Derek Carr’s behavior, however, was questionable at best. “I’ve been showing my emotions a little bit too much on my sleeve,” Derek Carr told reporters. “You know, I’ve got to kind of relax, and that’s me holding myself accountable.” Because that will do nothing. So I’m just trying to be a soothing influence in such circumstances, especially when it’s happened a couple of times before. As a leader, I can do a better job of calming everyone down.”
Derek Carr Carr went on to say: “There were some things that happened today that led to some pretty big negative plays that should never happen, and I think that’s where my frustration was coming from.” It should be noted how uncommon it is for quarterbacks to speak and act in this manner. Most quarterbacks accept responsibility even when it is not their fault. Carr is not openly blamed by Saints players every time he throws a pass into the mud. This occurs frequently.
This was hardly Carr’s first public rant against someone. During a sideline rant in the fourth quarter of New Orleans’ 20-13 loss to the Houston Texans on Oct. 15, he raged at his offensive coordinator, Pete Carmichael. Carr stated that he apologized to Carmichael for his outburst, which he says was not meant at Carmichael (which it clearly was), and that his rage on Thursday was not focused at Olave (which it certainly was).
Football players, like the rest of us, will become enraged. Teammates will yell at one another. It occurs. Even in that environment, Derek Carr’s actions seem out of place. Despite this, few individuals, notably in the media, have openly labeled Carr as selfish or a jerk. On the NFL Network, he was regarded as a competitor who simply wants to make everyone better. His petulant conduct has not resulted in him being regarded as a lousy teammate. In the sports talk universe, there was no rigorous critique of his behavior. His sins are usually overlooked. You see what I mean, don’t you?
White players can act in this manner with few consequences. A Black Derek Carr would have been annihilated by now (Black Derek Carr will be the name of my next fantasy team). If Black quarterbacks behaved the way Carr does, Fox News would run programs titled “Where Are The Black Fathers?” The same may be said for Black coaches in some aspects. They’d get hammered if they yelled at players like Alabama coach Nick Saban.
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Black athletes must be perfect. Anything less than an ideal temperament is considered troublesome. On and off the pitch, there is a double standard. LeBron James once described a scenario regarding how he would react if he was out with his family during dinner and was interrupted by someone requesting a picture, as opposed to if the same thing happened to Tom Brady.
“If it’s (Tom) Brady, (Aaron) Rodgers, or (Peyton) Manning.” And we’re doing the same (expletive), the exact same (expletive),” James explained. “I’m talking about a phone.” ‘Yo, get that (expletive) phone out of my face,’ we say. I’m at home with my family.’ “If we’re out with our family and we say that (expletive) and somebody posts it, and if Aaron Rodgers or one of those guys say that (expletive) and they post it, somebody’s going to be like, ‘Hey, you guys should respect Aaron Rodgers.'”
This piece will irritate some of you, but what else is new? But what I’m saying is correct. And you already know it is. As the trade deadline approaches, here are five NFL players that need a change of scenery. Don’t get things mixed up. I’m not claiming that black coaches and players never yell. Or you’ll never get a pass for acting like a jerk again. But it isn’t the point. This is more about the perception gap when Black athletes and coaches do what Derek Carr does.
No Black quarterback could act that way without facing substantial public reaction. Carr has received some of it, but not nearly as much as if, say, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson repeatedly and publicly disparaged his teammates. Derek Carr is referred to as a competitor, however Jackson is regarded as a lousy teammate and selfish. We’ve seen this type of stuff before, so I know it’s true.
Because of his disagreements with teammates, Hall of Fame receiver Terrell Owens was regularly referred to as a cancer by the media. To be sure, Owens could be a handful off the field, but he was one of the hardest workers of his generation. Yet it was also said of him, “There has never been a more selfish player in NFL history than Terrell Owens.” I’m not sure how such a thing is measured.
Chad Johnson, a former NFL receiver, received the same therapy. Odell Beckham Jr. felt the same way. Other Black athletes and athletes of color have done the same over the years. Bleacher Report once published a list of the top ten selfish athletes in sports. There is a pattern with the list. Ring the bell when you see it.
Peyton Manning faulted his offensive line in a pretty calm critique, which was one of the few high-profile times you saw a non-white player take (moderate) fire for pointing fingers at teammates or coaches. Manning was also involved in a legendary shouting confrontation with Jeff Saturday. None of that stayed with Manning.
There was a recent ESPN report concerning Derek Carr’s misunderstanding with the receivers, and one of those pass catchers, Michael Thomas, mentioned something unusual. “It’s not like we’re not trying to communicate,” he told me. “There are no defiant guys.” I just don’t know if everyone has the same definition of communication.”
What you choose to read into that. Alternatively, don’t. I put a lot of meaning into it. I doubt this is the last time we see Carr yell at a teammate in public. Carr, on the other hand, will be OK if he does it again. The media’s disapproval will be muted. Do you understand why? Because he isn’t African-American.
Derek Carr
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