Derek Carr journey

Who is Derek Carr?

Derek Carr is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He played college football at Fresno State and was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft. Carr has also played for the Las Vegas Raiders and Dallas Cowboys. He has been a starter for most of his career and has had success as a quarterback, leading the Raiders to the playoffs in 2016 and being named a Pro Bowl selection in 2015 and 2016.

Derek Carr journey

Derek Carr was born on March 28, 1991, in Fresno, California. He attended Bakersfield Christian High School, where he played football and basketball. After high school, he attended Fresno State University, where he played college football for the Bulldogs.

As a freshman in 2011, Carr appeared in nine games as a backup to starting quarterback Ryan Colburn. He became the starter in 2012 and had a successful season, leading the Bulldogs to a 9-4 record and a victory in the Hawaii Bowl.

In 2013, Carr had a breakout season, throwing for 5,082 yards and 50 touchdowns. He was a finalist for the Davey O'Brien Award, given to the nation's top quarterback, and was named a first-team All-Mountain West Conference selection.

Carr declared for the NFL Draft following his junior season and was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the second round (36th overall) in 2014. He became the Raiders' starting quarterback as a rookie and has remained the starter for most of his career.

In 2015, Carr had a successful season, leading the Raiders to a 7-9 record and being named a Pro Bowl selection. He led the Raiders to the playoffs in 2016, but suffered a broken leg in Week 16, ending his season.

Carr has continued to play for the Raiders and was with the team when they moved to Las Vegas in 2020. He was released by the Raiders in 2021 and signed with the Dallas Cowboys as a free agent. He played for the Cowboys for one season before becoming a free agent again in 2022.

Derek Carr records

Derek Carr has had a successful career as a quarterback in the NFL. Some of his notable records and achievements include:

• Most passing yards by a rookie in Raiders history (3,270 in 2014)
• Most touchdowns by a rookie in Raiders history (21 in 2014)
• Most passing yards in a single season in Raiders history (4,039 in 2015)
• Most touchdowns in a single season in Raiders history (32 in 2015)
• Most passing touchdowns in a single game in Raiders history (6, twice)
• Most completions in a single game in Raiders history (40, twice)
• Most passing yards in a single game in Raiders history (517, twice)
• Most touchdowns in a single game in Raiders history (7, twice)
• Most touchdowns in a single quarter in Raiders history (5, twice)

Carr has also been selected to the Pro Bowl twice (2015, 2016) and has been named a second-team All-Pro once (2016).

Derek Carr awards

Derek Carr has received a number of awards and accolades throughout his career, including:

• Davey O'Brien Award finalist (2013)
• First-team All-Mountain West Conference (2013)
• NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month (October 2014)
• NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (2014) (Runner-up)
• NFL All-Rookie Team (2014)
• AFC Offensive Player of the Week (Week 1, 2015)
• AFC Offensive Player of the Month (September 2015)
• Pro Bowl selection (2015, 2016)
• Second-team All-Pro (2016)

Carr has also been recognized for his charitable work off the field. He was named the Raiders' Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee in 2017 and 2018 for his contributions to the community.