Raiders coach Jon Gruden and quarterback Derek Carr had a heated exchange on the sideline during today’s game, but afterward Gruden said it was no big deal.
When a reporter said he hadn’t seen Gruden and Carr go at each other like that, Gruden said that just because it hasn’t been caught by TV cameras before, that doesn’t mean it’s not a common occurrence in the NFL.
“That’s the first time you’ve seen it, it ain’t the first time it’s happened,” Gruden said. “We’re both competitors, we’re competing hard there. We had a man-to-man situation, he went for the big play, and we had a mild disagreement. But you know what? That’s part of this business. We’re going to have times when we clash a little bit. We’re also very supportive of one another. I’m very proud of him. He’s been through a lot this year. I’m glad he’s our quarterback.”
Gruden dismissed a report that Raiders tight end Lee Smith had to step in to keep Gruden and Carr from escalating the situation.
“Is that how it looked? I don’t know. I can handle my own business,” Gruden said.
Overall, Gruden said he was pleased with how Carr played.
“He brought us back to win in the fourth quarter. That’s the sign of a great quarterback,” Gruden said.
After the Raiders earned their second win of the season, it was all smiles in the locker room.