If the Las Vegas Raiders decide to trade quarterback Derek Carr at some point, don’t expect the 30-year-old veteran to suit up for another team with a smile on his face. As a matter of fact, don’t expect him to suit up at all.
Speaking with reporters on Tuesday, Carr reiterated his intention to remain a Raider his whole career and said that he would rather walk away from football than play for a different team.
“I’d probably quit football if I had to play for somebody else,” said Carr. “I am a Raider for my entire life. I’m going to root for one team for the rest of my life—it’s the Raiders.”
The 2021 NFL offseason was marked with several high-profile QBs, including the Houston Texans’ Deshaun Watson and Green Bay Packers’ Aaron Rodgers being unhappy with their current teams and demanding a trade. When asked why he remained silent despite not being in an ideal situation as well, Carr attributed it to his “old-school mentality”.
“Whether we’ve won enough or not, I literally give every bit of energy and effort that I can to this organization, and when I sign a contract, I completely, in my mind, have to fulfill that. I committed to that. I put my name on paper,” he explained.
Carr has been a rather consistent performer for the Raiders since taking over the starting job in 2014 and holds the franchise records for most passing yards with 26,896 and touchdown passes (170). But his stats didn’t result in wins for the team, as Carr compiled four losing seasons and a 47-63 record as a starter.
