Carter graciously gave me 20 minutes of his time last Friday (h/t Darwin Navarette of PickFactor.com for setting it up). We chatted about the NFL's new safety rules, how he feels about his accomplishments, what it's like being with the Raiders this season and his passion for the game.
During my interview with the veteran, it became clear to me that Carter is ready to hit the ground running in 2013 after getting back into the swing of things in the second half of 2012.
Carter ruptured his quad late last season with the New England Patriots after racking up 52 tackles and 10 sacks in 14 games. He injected much-needed life into the Patriots defense, and he's ready to do it again.
In a limited role with the Raiders in 2012, Carter has made his presence felt, tallying 11 tackles and one sack.
Here are some highlights from my interview:
Bleacher Report: You're a 12-year veteran who's been around the block a few times. With the NFL's new safety-first rules, has that affected the way you and your teammates play the game, if at all?
Andre Carter: You know, I don't really marinate on it at all. At the end of the day, football is football. I understand and I respect the new rules that have been made in regards to the safety of the players, but you can't go out in this game being tentative. Because if you're tentative in this game, then you'll end up getting hurt.
I have been fined a few times. There's been a few times where I thought it was a clean hit, but the league thought different, and they made their decision. I did my best to appeal it, but unfortunately, it didn't go in my favor.
Football is just a matter of execution and doing your job, and I take pride in that. So, at the end of the day, I'm the one that has to look at myself in the...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Oakland Raiders
