To call Donald Penn "passionate" might not quite do it.
The Oakland Raiders tackle is as devoted a teammate as can be found in the league, and when his quarterback Derek Carr went down with a broken fibula in December, Penn blamed himself.
So it's not surprising that Penn, who was ruled out of playing in Saturday's AFC wild-card game against the Houston Texans due to a knee injury, is taking the news as hard as anyone.
Penn tried to participate in practice Friday but was unable to perform, and Saturday will mark the first game Penn has missed since coming into the league. As fate would have it, Penn has allowed only one sack in the 2016-17 season, and it was the play against the Indianapolis Colts that resulted in Carr's injury.
"I'm very disappointed in myself because it's my guy that got [Carr]," Penn said at the time. "I've been great all year, I don't know how. I was engaged with my guy, I took another step and my foot slipped out from under me.
"I've never had a quarterback get hurt in my career," Penn said. "I'm upset right now."
Hang in there, Donald. You'll have your day.
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