Getty Oakland Raiders QB Derek Carr and Chicago Bears pass-rusher Khalil Mack.
Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr gets it. He understands how hard it is for the fanbase to deal with watching their former star pass-rusher Khalil Mack dominate for another team. After Mack was traded to the Chicago Bears, the team, fans, and the entire NFL was left stunned.
But as Scott Bair of NBC Sports Bay Area revealed, the Raiders quarterback addressed Mack and the trade by sending a strong message. After first admitting that he knows it hurts seeing his former friend and teammate dominating elsewhere, he also wants fans to be happy for him.
“It’s hard to watch him go out and strip-sack everybody,” Carr said. “He has done that so many times here, and it hurts your heart to see it, but at the same time, it doesn’t hurt anymore.
“I’m happy for him. If you’re a Raider fan, it’s hard to see him do that. But just be happy for the guy. He has strained his tail off to get to where he’s at. The fact he’s making plays for someone else, we don’t like it, but we can be happy for him because we all love him to death.”
It’s not surprising to hear Carr show support for his former teammate, even though he was honest about how hard it was for him to see Mack leave.
The Aftermath of Mack’s Trade and His Play
It’s been a tough run for the Raiders since trading Mack for a variety of reasons. The on-field aspect is one, as the Raiders sit at 0-2 and have just two sacks to this point. As for their former pass-rusher, he’s been excellent with the Bears, totaling eight combined tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles, one interception, and one touchdown.
Beyond that, Jon Gruden also called out Mack after the trade stating he “didn’t want to play” for the Raiders. Even fellow pass-rusher and Denver Broncos All-Pro Von Miller was stunned by the move, saying he thought Mack was “untradeable.”
While the Raiders are struggling currently on the defensive side of the ball when it comes to getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks, they at least stockpiled draft picks in the deal. As ESPN’s Adam Schefter first revealed, Oakland picked up two first-round selections, a third-rounder, and a sixth-rounder in exchange for Mack, a second-round selection and a conditional fifth.
Time will tell who wins this trade, but Bears fans are obviously happy with how things are playing out currently.
READ NEXT: Jon Gruden: ‘Obviously Khalil Mack Didn’t Want to Play’ for Raiders
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Derek Carr Sends Strong Message to Raiders Fans About Khalil Mack Trade