Everything's Bigger in Dallas
PETER KING: You’ve played at a small college in Michigan. You’ve played in the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs. Then you go to the Dallas Cowboys for one year. What’s the difference with the Dallas Cowboys—their fans, their following—to where else you’ve played in life?
BRANDON CARR: Big difference from Day One. The spotlight—from me signing my contract to actually coming out here to camp. Just all the things that took place prior to me actually getting to camp last year—all the media and appearances and finally got a chance to go on set on ESPN in the studio. But the spotlight is huge here. I never would have imagined turning on the TV on a random Tuesday evening and seeing a Cowboys story. Then the next day you see the same story or a different story. It’s always “Cowboys this” and “Cowboys that."
KING:Changing defenses this year—Monte Kiffin comes in. How does your assignment change and how do you think it’s going to work for the Dallas defense?
CARR: I’m used to change now. With this defense, we watched film on different teams that we’re gonna kind of do some of the things they do. It allows us as corners to get up there at the line of scrimmage and challenge the receivers. Now we have guys that have accountability on where they need to be every single play. You know, we have some different rule changes. But I think that this defense allows us to play fast and allows us to use our athletic ability out there.
KING: You have been a spokesman in the Dallas community against domestic violence. I wonder, how much of that is traced back to your friendship in Kansas City with Jovan Belcher, and have you ever figured out what in the world happened?
CARR: Still don’t know what happened. I always say when the time is right, when the judgment day comes for all of us, we figure out why everything happened in our lives. Everything will make sense. But, that was kind of a catalyst to where I stand on domestic violence. I’ve never been a big fan of any man putting his hands on a woman. You know, I have a daughter and I feel like now it’s time for me to use this platform that I have to take a stance against something that’s wrong. The social norm is kind of skewing that way—to where it’s okay for a male to fight a female and things like that. But I want to take a stand for something that’s positive—something that gets these kids back on the right track, and gets back to the fundamentals and the norms that we’re used to from back when my parents grew up. When I say “back in the day,” I feel like I’m old now. I just want to stand for something that’s positive and something that’s right.
