Most players, given a taste of the NFL, will drop everything for another chance.
But former No. 1 overall pick David Carr turned down a pair of chances to sign in recent weeks, after his 2-year-old daughter was diagnosed with diabetes, and he chose to stay home with his wife to help care for her.
“They were actually two teams I would’ve gone to. That’s the tough part,” Carr said, via Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports. “But when it comes down to it, [family] is what it’s all about. First of all, I wouldn’t be able to give 100 percent to the team I was with and I just wanted to be honest with them, so I called the general managers and told them personally. They were actually pretty cool about it and they were pleased with the honesty. I don’t think they get it that much.
“We’ll see what happens later. But for the time being, there are things that are more important.”
One of their five sons has also been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, so they have experience dealing with the condition. But since his daughter Grace is 2, the management requires more constant attention, so Carr skipped a pair of chance to collect a big payday, and perhaps play, to be a dad.
“Earlier in my career, I maybe would’ve made a different decision. It’s amazing what 12 years in the NFL can do to you,” Carr said. “You see a lot of things, you learn a lot, you grow as a father and husband and you learn some things are more important than going out and collecting a check, standing there and trying to be 100 percent into the deal. So in my heart, all along, I knew what I was supposed to do, just because it wasn’t something I felt like I could walk away from.
“The thing with diabetes is it’s constant, like every hour it’s something. ‘What did she eat for lunch?’ She’s 2, she can’t tell us, so we have to figure it out. While I was trying to make that decision for those couple of days, she was always there, always in need, always running up and giving me a hug. She didn’t know anything else, she just knew her dad was here. That stuff makes the decision easier.”
And on a week where families will gather to give thanks, the Carrs will be together thanks to dad’s decision to put them first.