Derek Carr says goodbye to Raiders, thanks Oakland and Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS -- After being benched for the final two games of the season, longtime Raiders quarterback Derek Carr is saying goodbye to the organization.
"Raider Nation it breaks my heart I didn't get an opportunity to say goodbye in person. We certainly have been on a roller coaster in our 9 years together," Carr wrote.
In the statement, which was posted to his Twitter account on Thursday morning, Carr thanked Raider Nation for the support.
He even mentioned Oakland, the Raiders' former home.
"Thank you to the city of Oakland for taking us in. Thank you to the city of Las Vegas for allowing us to proudly call you home. Thank you to the organization, my teammates, all my coaches, staff, and everyone that helped me these last 9 years in those 2 buildings. Thanks to all of Raider Nation that supported, encouraged, pushed, and uplifted me at different times along this journey. Raider Nation truly is special," Carr wrote.
— Derek Carr (@derekcarrqb) January 12, 2023
The 31-year-old played college ball at Fresno State and has been the starting quarterback for the Raiders since his rookie season in 2014.
However, after a disappointing 2022 campaign that started with the hopes of repeating last season's playoff run, Las Vegas head coach Josh McDaniels announced after the Christmas Eve 13-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers that Carr would be benched.
Carr has said that he wanted to play his whole career for the Raiders, but his statement on Thursday made it clear that he will be looking for a new team.
"I once said that if I'm not a Raider I would rather be at home and I meant that, but I never envisioned it ending this way. That fire burning inside of me to win a championship still rages," Carr wrote.
Indeed, with many teams looking for a stabilizing player at their quarterback position this offseason, Carr should have no shortage of suitors.
For the Raiders, their immediate future at quarterback is murky. Backup Jerrett Stidam impressed some when he started in Carr's place against the 49ers, throwing for 365 yards and 3 touchdowns in an overtime loss, but faltered in the final game of the season - a 13-31 loss against the Chiefs. Besides Carr, other quarterbacks expected to be on the market include 45-year-old Tom Brady, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Lamar Jackson.
The Raiders also hold the 7th overall pick in the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft.
Carr holds a number of franchise records for the Raiders, including career touchdown passes, career passing yards, and highest passer rating. But, in his 9 seasons, he only led the team to the postseason twice, making only one appearance due to injury.