16 September 2023 , 21:41
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New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr left new team-mate Taysom Hill stunned as he revealed a clever trick to hear instructions clearer when out on the field.
Carr is entering his tenth season in the NFL after being selected in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the formerly known Oakland Raiders. Carr left the franchise this past offseason when he was released after his decision to decline waiving a no-trade clause in his contract.
The quarterback then signed a four-year, $150 million (£121.1 million) contract to become the new Saints starter, as Hill remains the third choice behind back-up Jameis Winston. Hill has switched between tight end and quarterback over the course of his career and is often used in the red zone to bundle the ball over the line.
Hill went undrafted in 2017 and joined the Saints after being claimed off waivers from the Green Bay Packers, so he's by no means inexperienced. But Hill was absolutely amazed when Carr gave him a simple but effective piece of advice when playing quarterback.
The quarterbacks have a communication stream with the coaches via a microphone implanted in their helmets, helping them coordinate plays. But there are also gaps in the helmet which can make hearing tough in noisy stadiums — to which Carr has a solution.
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Carr puts tape over the gaps to ensure that all noise is cancelled out, something that's not often seen in the NFL. "That's to block out any noise, so I can hear it clearly," Carr said to Hill when his new team-mate asked him why there was tape on his helmet.
"You need to do it, bro. In Kansas City, you can hear everything, the whole play." Hill was stunned, even saying "Wow" on the field as he was left speechless when taking in the news.
Hill looked genuinely inspired, and Carr was laughing to himself due to his reaction. The Saints are 1-0 this season after beating the Tennessee Titans 16-15, and Carr is keen to prove people wrong after an ugly exit from the Raiders.
Carr adored representing the franchise but his release upset the quarterback, and he's since opened up about how he was treated towards the end of his time in Las Vegas. "There were many offseasons where I’d have a great year, and they were like ‘All right, who are we going to draft?‘" Carr said to ESPN.
Carr was upset with his treatment at the Las Vegas Raiders (2023 Cooper Neill)"‘Who are we going to draft? What are you talking about?’ … It’s driving me nuts. Like, ‘Are you kidding me? Are you watching the same film I’m watching?’ As a competitor, some of that stuff was annoying, and when those questions wouldn’t get answered … it’s just like, as a competitor, I’m going to keep proving myself."
Carr left a tough AFC West that was dominated by the Kansas City Chiefs and switched to the NFC South, where not a single team managed a winning record last season. The Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Saints are all 1-0 heading into Week 2, with the Carolina Panthers the only team to lose their opener.