DAVIE, Fla. _ Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr shared some sympathetic remarks Wednesday about Miami Dolphins defensive end William Hayes, who tore his ACL trying to avoid a roughing-the-passer penalty while sacking Carr last Sunday.
"Honestly, I said this to my wife and a couple teammates the other day, I wish the guy would've just landed on me besides tear his ACL, honesty," Carr told reporters in Oakland. "On that play, for him to try and protect me _ which I'm thankful for, thank you _ for him to tear his ACL, nobody wants that. I don't want that."
Hayes will be done for the season after suffering the injury in the Dolphins' 28-20 win over the Raiders.
Hayes was trying to make a play on Carr while abiding by the NFL's latest emphasis on the roughing-the-passer personal foul, which states a defender cannot use all or most of his body weight to drive a quarterback into the ground.
The emphasis on the rule has resulted in a number of roughing-the-passer penalties at the start of this NFL season, and has received significant criticism from players like Green Bay Packers star linebacker Clay Matthews, who has incurred three of those penalties this season.
While defenders are still trying to adjust, Carr said quarterbacks like him are also trying to acclimate to the new rule.
Carr said he immediately knew Hayes was injured because he heard Hayes writhing in pain after the play.
"I definitely didn't want the guy to tear his ACL. Thankfully, he protected me and kept me safe. But if he was doing it again, (I'd say) 'man, land on me so you don't hurt yourself,' " Carr said.
"That's a situation where you feel bad. You don't want the guy's season to be over," Carr continued.
Hayes was expected to be a key rotational player on the defensive line for the Dolphins this season.
His impact is already missed by the Dolphins.
"We were set to do something great this year _ we're not saying we're not _ but he was supposed to be part of it," Dolphins defensive tackle Jordan Phillips said. "He was a leader in our room, and still is.
"I know it's not easy for him."
