NFL players can’t tamper with one another. But if they could? That’d be exactly what we’d call what Derek Carr did to Davante Adams this summer.
The Raiders quarterback did what he needed to do to convince his pal to dump Aaron Rodgers and jump out of Green Bay by demanding a trade to Vegas.
And can you really blame him? We might be talking about the best receiver in the NFL.
But, man. When you read how he went about it? Carr went all in on convincing his boy to jump ship. As soon as the Raiders lost in the playoffs, he was hitting Adams’ up trying to make something shake.
And, apparently, it worked! He detailed it in a cover story from ESPN’s Tim Keown on the friendship between the two. It’s actually pretty hilarious.
“Oh, man,” Carr says, “I was egregious.” After the Raiders lost in the playoffs, Carr called his friend. “As soon as I saw his name pop up, I knew what it was about,” Adams says, laughing. On the phone, Carr told him, “Hey, whenever you’re ready, I’m ready. Let’s figure this thing out.” The Packers were preparing to play the 49ers in an NFC divisional-round game, and Carr wished him luck, doing his best — but probably failing — to give his friend the space he needed to focus on the moment. But that Sunday, after the Packers unexpectedly lost at home, Carr asked himself the existential question: How many days of mourning should a friend give another friend before hitting him with the full-court press?
‘I’m not going to lie,’ Carr says. ‘I texted him the next day. I couldn’t help myself.’,”
THE NEXT DAY. The very next day after the Packers’ upset loss to the 49ers? He didn’t even let the man breathe. He couldn’t wait a week. He had to hit him up the very next day. That’s incredible.
This is Draymond Green in the parking lot after losing the Finals levels of tampering. Well, technically, it’s not tampering. But still! It’s tampering.
This is fantastic. It stinks you lost your guy, Packers fans. But, honestly? This story may have made it worth it.