In a letter he posted Thursday afternoon on social media, Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr thanked teammates and coaches and said goodbye to fans, adding that he “looks forward” to joining a new team.
Carr wrote on Instagram and Twitter: “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 nine years together. From the bottom of my heart, I am so grateful and appreciative of the years of support you gave to my family and me. We had our share of both heart breaking moments and thrilling game winning drives, and it always felt like you were there next to me. It’s especially hard to say goodbye because I can honestly say that I gave you everything I had, every single day, in season, and in the off-season. It certainly wasn’t perfect, but I hope that I was able to leave you with more than a few great memories as Raider fans….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. A fire no man can extinguish; only God. So I look forward to a new city and a new team who, no matter the circumstance, will get everything I have. Winning a championship is what I’ve always wanted and what I will continue to work toward.”
The 31-year-old Carr joined the franchise as a second-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, making the Pro Bowl in three of his first four seasons. He went 63-79 in 142 starts for the Raiders, completing 64.8% of his throws for 35,222 yards, 217 touchdowns and 99 interceptions over his nine seasons with the AFC West franchise.
Carr went 10-7 as a starter, with a career-high 4,804 yards, 23 scores and 14 interceptions in 17 starts in 2021 and led the Raiders to the 2021-22 playoffs. Carr signed a three-year, $121.5 million contract extension in April, but the franchise can release him next month while taking a salary cap hit of just $5.6 million. If the team doesn’t move on from Carr, his 2023 salary will jump to more than $30 million next season and to more than $40 million in 2024 and 2025.
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