Carson Palmer admits Cardinals-Bengals 'not just another game' for him

One of these days, Carson Palmer will tell his side of the story about what went into his demand to be traded from the Bengals in 2011. That day is not now, especially with Palmer facing his former team when the Cardinals host Cincinnati on Sunday night.

"Myself and this team are focused on Week 11, not 2011," Palmer told reporters this week. The Bengals' former first-round pick did admit, however, that this is "not just another game." He simply won't get into a lengthy discussion about how it all went down at the end of his run in Cincinnati.

Bengals owner Mike Brown said he'd never deal Palmer, but shortly before the trading deadline, he made a deal with the Raiders, getting first- and second-round picks in return. The Bengals had previously drafted Dalton, who since has become their starter and is 8-1 this season.

"I'm not going to get into a 'he-said, she-said' situation with Mike Brown," Palmer said, when told that Brown didn't buy his argument then that the quarterback was ready to retire. "We obviously disagreed and it ended in a very colorful, heated argument. We disagree with each other and that's how it ended, but now is not the time or place to get into a 'what he said, what she said,' type of deal."

Palmer never did pan out for the Raiders, but he has experienced a career renaissance since being traded to the Cardinals in 2013. Arizona is 7-2 atop the NFC West, and Palmer has won 20 of his last 24 starts.

By Bob Glauber

Special to NewsdayBobGlauber

Bob Glauber retired in 2022 after covering the NFL for nearly 40 years. He was selected in 2021 for the Bill Nunn Career Achievement Award by the Pro Football Writers of America, and is a three-time winner of the New York State Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. President of the PFWA for the 2018-20 seasons, he is the author of “The Forgotten First” and “Guts and Genius.”