Derek Carr: “It hurts so much that I was unable to say goodbye in person… “I’ve always wanted and will continue to work towards winning a championship,” the veteran quarterback said. The Raiders finished 6-11 after benching him for their final two games, both of which were losses.
Derek Carr, the quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders, announced his departure from the team on Thursday in a lengthy social media post. He began by writing, “It breaks my heart,” but he later clarified that he would not be retiring.
Carr said in the statement: “I never imagined it ending this way, but I once said that if I’m not a Raider, I would rather be at home.
“I still harbor a fierce desire to win a championship. An inferno that only God can put out.
“I’m excited for a new city and a new team that will always receive my all, no matter what. I’ve always wanted to win a championship, so I’ll keep working toward it.”
Although Carr signed a three-year, $121.5 million extension with Las Vegas in the offseason, the deal allows the Raiders to cut him within three days of the Super Bowl for just a $5.625 million salary-cap hit if they can’t find a trade partner. This effectively ends Carr’s time with the team, as NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported earlier on Thursday.
Because time is of the essence, the #Raiders are launching right now. The deadline is set for February 15th. That’s when Carr’s $40.4 million salary for the following two seasons is guaranteed in full. Any choice regarding a potential trade would be made prior to that. This link: t.co/z0YW5GMiac
— @RapSheet’s Ian Rapoport 12 January 2023
Given that Carr’s contract was extended, it appeared that he would work with new Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels for the foreseeable future. Additionally, some predicted that the Raiders would be successful in 2022 after acquiring Davante Adams, a former teammate from Fresno State, from the Green Bay Packers.
Rather than starting for the last two games of the season, which they lost 6-11, Carr was benched. The 31-year-old had left the team to avoid being a “distraction.”
Carr’s statement said, “It breaks my heart I didn’t get an opportunity to say goodbye in person.” “In our nine years together, we have undoubtedly experienced many ups and downs.
“From the bottom of my heart, I want to express how appreciative and thankful I am for the years that you supported my family and me.
“I always felt like you were there by my side during the many heartbreaking and exhilarating game-winning drives that we shared.
“I can honestly say that I gave you everything I had, every single day, during the season and during the off-season, which makes saying goodbye very difficult. Though it wasn’t flawless, I hope I was able to leave you Raider fans with many wonderful memories.”
After being selected in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft, Carr played 142 games for the Raiders, throwing for 35,222 yards, 217 touchdowns, and 99 interceptions.
In 2021, he participated in his lone postseason game for Las Vegas, which ended in a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in the wild card round. The Bengals went on to win the Super Bowl, but were defeated by the Los Angeles Rams.
Throughout his nine-year career with the Raiders, Carr experienced highs and lows, including three consecutive trips to the Pro Bowl (2015–2017). He also had six losing seasons.
