Derek Carr says he will always be a Raider during candid conversation
By John Buhler
Derek Carr will always be proud of the fact that he played football for the Las Vegas Raiders.
While Derek Carr is about to pen a new chapter in his NFL career with the New Orleans Saints, he will always be a fan of what the Las Vegas Raiders are doing.
Carr spent his first nine seasons out of Fresno State with the Silver and Black. Although the Raiders never won a playoff game with him at the helm, they are one of the most chaotic organizations in the sport. For better or worse, Carr provided a stabilizing presence to a franchise in dire need of it. Naturally, he will look back fondly on all of the things he did in a Raiders uniform.
Carr touched on his decade-long run with the Raiders in a conversation with Harvester Sports.
"“I’m a Raider. When I retire some day, you can’t take that away from me. You can’t take away what I did in Oakland. You can’t take away what I did in Las Vegas. You can be mad at it, but you can’t take it away.”"
He may not be the most talented quarterback in the league, but the Saints got a good one in Carr.
Derek Carr will always be proud of his time playing for the Las Vegas Raiders
There are few franchises where if you play for them, you are one of them forever. The Raiders may have the brand of a rebel, but they are a fiercely loyal bunch. It plays a part in why people relate to them so much. Although Carr is not exactly a badass, he was very good for the Raiders. They were completely rudderless when he arrived in Oakland in 2014. Now look at them; they are a bit better.
When we do look back on Carr’s tenure as the Raiders’ starting quarterback, we will remember the 2016 NFL season fondly, as well as the improbable run to the postseason in 2021 with Rich Bisaccia serving as their interim head coach. Despite having a new head coach seemingly every other year, the Raiders could always count on Carr to play quality football for them every Sunday.
Ultimately, Carr may still root for his friends on the team, but he has a new group to lead. With the NFC South being the worst division in football, Carr has an opportunity to do something he has never done before in his career: Win a division title and host a home playoff game. From there, he might be good enough to quarterback the 2023 Saints to a second playoff game in the divisionals.
Leaving Las Vegas is not always easy, but good things do lie ahead for Carr over in The Big Easy.