Derek Carr Bio
Derek Dallas Carr (born March 28, 1991) is an American former professional football quarterback who played 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Fresno State Bulldogs, where he earned consecutive first-team All-Mountain West Conference honors and set multiple school records through the air. Selected by the Oakland Raiders in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft, Carr quickly became the franchise’s franchise passer and a four-time Pro Bowl selection before closing his career with the New Orleans Saints.
Across his NFL tenure, Carr set Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders franchise records for passing yards, passing touchdowns, and pass completions, and he later signed a four-year, $150 million contract with the Saints in 2023. He announced his retirement in May 2025, citing a severe shoulder injury that prevented him from performing at the level he demanded of himself.
Derek Carr Early Life and Background
Derek Dallas Carr was born in Fresno, California, the youngest of three children, to Rodger Carr and Sheryl Carr. When his older brother David Carr was selected as the first overall pick in the 2002 NFL Draft by the then-expansion Houston Texans, the family relocated to Sugar Land, Texas. Derek began his high school career at Clements High School, where he developed into a starter after a preseason injury to another quarterback thrust him into the role.
As a sophomore at Clements, Carr passed for 1,246 yards and 12 touchdowns, and he followed that with 1,622 yards and 16 touchdowns as a junior, leading the Rangers to a 13–0 record before a quarterfinal loss in the Texas Class 5A Division 2 state playoffs. Following his junior year, he transferred to Bakersfield Christian High School, where he guided the Eagles to a 12–1 record and a CIF Central Section Division V championship as a senior. Carr was later named National Player of the Year by the National Private Schools Athletic Association in 2009.
Path to the NFL
Coming out of high school as a highly recruited prospect, Carr ultimately chose Fresno State, where his older brother David had also starred at quarterback. He enrolled early for the spring 2009 semester to participate in spring practice but appeared in only five games as a true freshman behind starter Ryan Colburn. After redshirting the 2010 season, Carr won the starting job in 2011 and immediately produced, passing for 3,544 yards and 26 touchdowns while earning First-team All-WAC honors.
Carr’s stock rose sharply in 2012, his first year under new head coach Tim DeRuyter, when he threw for 4,104 yards and 37 touchdowns and was named Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Year. He peaked in 2013, leading the Bulldogs to an 11–2 record and an outright Mountain West Conference championship, while topping the FBS in passing yards (5,083) and passing touchdowns (50). That season, he won the Sammy Baugh Trophy, was named Mountain West Male Athlete of the Year, and finished eighth in Heisman Trophy voting.
Derek Carr Career
Early Career (2014–2015)
The Oakland Raiders selected Derek Carr with the 36th overall pick in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft, and head coach Dennis Allen named him the Week 1 starter, making him the first rookie quarterback in franchise history to open a season as the starter. Carr won his first NFL game on November 20, 2014, leading the previously winless Raiders to a 24–20 upset of the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday Night Football, and he finished his rookie year with 3,270 passing yards and 21 touchdowns, starting all 16 games.
In his second season, Carr built on that foundation, throwing for 3,987 yards and 32 touchdowns while leading the Raiders to a 7–9 record. His strong play earned him his first Pro Bowl selection, replacing Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. After two seasons, Carr’s 53 career touchdown passes were the second most by any quarterback in his first two NFL seasons, trailing only Dan Marino’s 68.
Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders Breakthrough (2016–2021)
Carr’s 2016 campaign established him among the league’s top passers. He set a franchise record with 513 passing yards in a Week 8 overtime win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, led the Raiders to a 30–20 Sunday Night Football victory over the Denver Broncos, and guided Oakland to its first winning season and playoff berth since 2002. A broken fibula suffered in Week 16 forced him to miss the postseason, but he was named to his second consecutive Pro Bowl and was ranked 11th on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2017.
On June 22, 2017, Carr signed a five-year, $125 million contract extension that briefly made him the highest-paid player in the league by average annual value. He earned a third straight Pro Bowl nod that January as a replacement for Tom Brady. Under new head coach Jon Gruden in 2018, Carr set a career high with 4,049 passing yards, and he surpassed Hall of Famer Ken Stabler for the Raiders’ all-time passing yards record in 2019.
The Raiders moved to Las Vegas ahead of the 2020 season, and Carr delivered the franchise’s first win at Allegiant Stadium on Monday Night Football against the Saints. In 2021, he posted a career-high 4,804 passing yards, set franchise records for attempts, completions, and yards, and led Oakland to a wild-card playoff berth before a 26–19 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in his first postseason start.
Las Vegas Raiders Final Stretch and Release (2022)
Carr signed a three-year, $121.5 million extension on April 12, 2022, that included a no-trade clause. The season was turbulent; after starting 91 consecutive regular-season games dating back to 2017, the longest active streak by a quarterback for one team, he was benched in favor of Jarrett Stidham following a Week 16 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Carr and the Raiders agreed he would step away from the team for the remainder of the season, and the franchise released him on February 14, 2023, after he declined to waive his no-trade clause.
New Orleans Saints Era (2023–2024)
On March 6, 2023, Carr signed a four-year, $150 million contract with the New Orleans Saints, reuniting him with former Raiders head coach Dennis Allen. In his first season, he started all 17 games and finished with 3,878 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, and eight interceptions, including a four-touchdown performance in the regular-season finale against the Atlanta Falcons. He was later named to the 2023 Pro Bowl as a replacement for Joe Burrow, his fourth career selection.
His 2024 season was cut short by injury. After a strong opening win over the Carolina Panthers and a Week 2 road rout of the Dallas Cowboys, Carr suffered an oblique injury in Week 5 against the Kansas City Chiefs and missed three games. He returned in Week 9 but fractured his hand and suffered a concussion on a rushing attempt in Week 14 against the New York Giants, prematurely ending his year. Carr finished with 2,145 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, and five interceptions across 10 appearances.
Driving Style and Strengths
Carr built his reputation on a quick, accurate release and a strong intermediate passing game, traits that fueled record-setting Raiders offenses. He was at his best operating play-action, pushing the ball down the seams to receivers such as Amari Cooper, Michael Crabtree, and Davante Adams, and he was particularly effective on the deep comeback and post routes. His efficiency was reflected in a 2019 franchise-record 70.4% completion rate, the first time a Raider had crossed the 70% threshold for a full season.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Carr’s signature moments was his 87-yard touchdown pass to Amari Cooper in the 2017 regular-season finale, a career-long completion, and his untimed-down game-winning pass to Crabtree against the Kansas City Chiefs the same year. He also etched himself into the NFL record book in 2021 by completing 31 of 34 passes against the Philadelphia Eagles for a 91.2% completion rate, the second-highest single-game mark in league history (minimum 30 attempts).
Derek Carr Career Wins
Carr’s career victory ledger is anchored by his nine seasons as a full-time starter in Oakland and Las Vegas, where he guided the Raiders to postseason berths in 2016 and 2021 and was named to four Pro Bowls. He added a five-touchdown effort in the 2013 Las Vegas Bowl loss to USC at the college level, and contributed a 4–1 closing stretch with the Saints in 2023 that included a four-touchdown performance in Week 18.
NFL Highlights
Carr’s first NFL win came on November 20, 2014, in a 24–20 upset of the Kansas City Chiefs, and his first playoff victory remains elusive after the Raiders’ 27–14 wild-card loss to the Houston Texans following the 2016 season. He reached the postseason again in 2021 but fell 26–19 to the Cincinnati Bengals, meaning his only postseason start ended in defeat.
Other Performances
At the high school level, Carr’s senior campaign at Bakersfield Christian produced a 12–1 record and a CIF Central Section Division V title, and he set a section record with 544 passing yards in a win over Arvin High School. He was named the 2008 All-Area Football Player of the Year by The Bakersfield Californian.
Derek Carr Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
The Carr family is one of professional football’s most recognizable quarterback lineages. Derek’s older brother, David Carr, was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2002 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans and played in the NFL from 2002 to 2012. Derek’s uncle, Lon Boyett, played tight end for the Oakland Raiders during the 1978 season, giving the family ties to both franchises of Derek’s pro career.
Personal Life
Carr married his wife, Heather, on June 29, 2012. The couple have three sons and a daughter, with their oldest son having been born with intestinal malrotation, a condition that required three surgeries. Carr is a devout Christian who has said faith is the most important thing in his life, and he has wrist tattoos featuring a verse from the Book of Jeremiah and a Chi Rho symbol.
2025 Season Outlook
There is no 2025 season performance to report for Derek Carr. He announced his retirement on May 10, 2025, ending an 11-year NFL career. The decision followed years of right-shoulder pain tied to a labral tear and degenerative changes to his rotator cuff; although surgery was an option, Carr chose retirement because he no longer felt capable of performing at a high level.
His final seasons with the Saints were a study in perseverance through injury, as he started all 17 games in 2023 before a hand fracture and concussion in Week 14 of 2024 cut his second season short. In retirement, Carr leaves the game as the Raiders’ all-time leader in passing yards, touchdowns, and completions, and as one of the most productive passers in franchise history.