Derek Carr Considers Himself A Raider For Life

Raiders quarterback Derek Carr is doing his best to ensure that when he steps on the field in front of a Las Vegas home crowd for the first time (there were no crowds in 2020), he’ll receive a warm welcome.

Entering his eighth NFL season, all of which have been with the Raiders, Carr addressed his love for the organization, telling ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez: “I'd probably quit football if I had to play for somebody else. I am a Raider for my entire life. I'm going to root for one team for the rest of my life -- it's the Raiders. So, I just feel that so strong in my heart I don't need a perfect situation ... to make things right. I'd rather go down with the ship, you know what I'm saying, if I have to."

Carr has shown remarkable durability during his run with the Silver and Black. The Fresno State product has missed just two games in seven seasons, the first six of which were played in Oakland before the franchise relocated to Vegas. Over that same span, Carr accounted for 170 passing touchdowns and another six scores on the ground.

Despite the yearly trade rumors surrounding his name, Carr reiterated his loyalty to the Raiders: "I'm that old-school mentality -- I'm playing for one team and that's it," he said. "Whether we've won enough or not, I literally give every bit of energy and effort that I can to this organization and when I sign a contract, I completely, in my mind, have to fulfill that. I committed to that. I put my name on paper.

"It's just how I was raised. I'm from Fresno, California. Born in Fresno. My dad worked in the car business, my mom helped with substitute teaching and all different kinds of stuff at the church, so we didn't have a whole bunch of stuff growing up, so I don't need much." Carr said, per NFL.com.

A three-time Pro Bowler, Carr has two years remaining on a contract that will pay him more than $19.5 million each season.