Derek Carr: Once a Raider, Always a Raider. A letter to the former Las Vegas Raiders QB
Raider Nation is grieving today, our silver and black hearts heavy with the news of Derek Carr’s sudden retirement on May 10, 2025. For nine seasons, from 2014-2023, Derek was more than our quarterback, he was our leader, our warrior, and the embodiment of what it means to bleed for the Las Vegas Raiders. As we reflect on his journey, we honor a man who gave us everything, through triumphs and trials, and left an indelible mark on our franchise and Raider Nation.
Derek, you arrived in 2014 as a second-round pick from Fresno State, wearing No. 4 in homage to your idol, Brett Favre. Little did we know you’d carve your own legend. You stepped into a franchise hungry for hope, and from your first snap, you played with a fire that ignited us all. You broke nearly every Raiders passing record, 35,222 yards, 217 touchdowns, 3,201 completions, and 4,958 attempts. You delivered 63 wins as a starter, 33 game-winning drives, and 28 fourth-quarter comebacks. Numbers tell part of the story, but they can’t capture the heart you poured into every play.
We’ll never forget 2016, when you led us to a 12-4 record and our first playoff berth since 2002. That season was magic, your poise, your clutch throws, your belief in the team lifted us to heights we hadn’t seen in years. Even when a brutal injury sidelined you for the postseason, your spirit stayed with us. And in 2021, you carried us back to the playoffs, throwing for a career-high 4,804 yards, setting franchise records, and showing the NFL that the Raiders were still a force. Your 91.2% completion percentage against the Eagles that year? Second-highest in NFL history for a game with 30 attempts. That’s the Derek Carr we knew, precise, relentless, unforgettable.
Off the field, you were our anchor. You embraced Las Vegas when the team moved in 2020, calling it home with a love that resonated. “I could live here forever,” you told your wife, Heather, and we felt that devotion. You weren’t just a player; you were one of us, tailgating in spirit, bleeding silver and black. You faced adversity, COVID fines, coaching changes, and the weight of expectations, yet you never wavered. You signed a $121.5 million extension in 2022, with a no-trade clause, because you wanted to stay. You said you’d “go down with the ship” for the Raiders, and we believed you.
The 2022 season tested us all. A 6-11 record and your benching for the final two games broke our hearts. When you said goodbye on January 12, 2023, in a letter that spoke of your gratitude and pain, we wept with you. “It breaks my heart I didn’t get to say goodbye in person,” you wrote. You gave us everything, every single day, and we’ll always cherish the roller coaster of heartbreaking losses and thrilling victories we shared.
Your move to the New Orleans Saints in 2023 showed the world you still had fire, but injuries, a fractured hand, concussions, and a shoulder issue, cut your journey short. Yet, even in retirement, you spoke with grace, addressing your faith and family at ChurchLV, reminding us of the man behind the helmet.
Derek, you weren’t perfect, but you were ours. You fought for us, loved us, and carried the weight of a franchise through turbulent years. Your loyalty, your four Pro Bowl nods, and your leadership will echo in Allegiant Stadium forever. Raider Nation will remember you as the quarterback who gave us hope, who threw lasers in crunch time, and who never stopped believing in the Silver and Black.
As you step into retirement, know that you’re still one of us. The fire that burns the brightest in the Raiders organization is the will to win and the fire to win a championship you spoke of still burns in our hearts. Thank you, DC, for every moment. Here’s to you, our captain, once a Raider, always a Raider.