Cowboys DB Brandon Carr’s Magical — and Greatly Underrated — Streak Just Ended
Dallas Cowboys defensive back Brandon Carr has had a fine career, but he likely wouldn’t appear in the same conversation as Cal Ripken Jr.
It’s time for some education, then. Aside from their many differences, mainly that Carr is entering his 13th NFL season and Ripken is a Hall of Fame shortstop, they do have one thing in common.
Both had impressive ‘Iron Man’ streaks. Unfortunately for Carr, now entering his second stint with the Dallas Cowboys, his streak just ended.
Brandon Carr has had a solid NFL career
A fifth-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2008, Brandon Carr is still going strong in 2020.
Although Carr has never made a Pro Bowl or earned All-Pro honors, he’s been a solid player — and often above-average — for over a decade.
Through the 2019 season, Carr recorded over 700 tackles, picked off 21 passes, scored two touchdowns, and even had three sacks.
Carr spent the last three seasons playing a key leadership role for the Baltimore Ravens. While Lamar Jackson handled things on offense, Carr remained an important defensive presence and set career-highs in sacks (two) and quarterback hits (seven) last year.
Carr started nearly 200 straight games
Of everything Brandon Carr accomplished in his first 12 seasons, never missing a game has to top the list.
That isn’t a misprint. Carr started every game he played as a rookie for an awful Chiefs team in 2008 and remained in the starting lineup for three total teams until he played his final game for the Ravens in January.
Given how much the game has changed, especially from a health standpoint, that is an incredible record. Many ‘Iron Man’ streaks happened because players fought through concussions and serious problems that affected them later in life.
Not Carr, though. Carr always stayed healthy enough to play and never ran into any injuries where he wouldn’t have been allowed to play.
Brandon Carr’s streak just ended
With how long Brandon Carr remained a free agent, it seemed likely his streak would end at 192 games.
That reality is officially true. Although Dallas activated Carr for the team’s Week 1 opener at the Los Angeles Rams, he did not start.
In a recent conference call with reporters, Carr said winning a Super Bowl and learning his new position takes priority anything else — and that includes the streak.
“I’m in a good space and just ready to work and ready to do what it takes to one, make this squad, but two, make the team as competitive as we can be to make a run.”
Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is the new active leader. Suh has started 132 consecutive games since serving a two-game suspension midway through the 2011 season.
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