The Raiders Are Better Because of Derek Carr

Less than 12 months later, Callahan was fired.

Rod Woodson failed his physical and was released, the team said goodbye to many of its players, the Raiders were hiring and firing coaches left and right, their first-round selections were busts, including JaMarcus Russell, and after the passing of Al Davis, they were a team without direction.

Then comes this second round quarterback from the Fresno valley named Derek Carr, a quarterback with concerns about size, ability, and arm talent, a quarterback thrown into the fire by Dennis Allen, and a quarterback who came out the other side with the love of the locker room.

In 2016, everything changed. Week one. Raiders vs Saints. The Saints, Sean Payton, and Drew Brees hope to open the season with a win, they enter the fourth quarter up 24-13.

Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio needed a moment of inspiration, and guess who caused it? Carr and the Raiders rally to score 20 points, making it a 34-33 game in favor of the Saints. However, a two-point conversion with Carr hitting Michael Crabtree secured victory and led to an MVP-caliber year by Carr.

That was a trend that followed the Raiders, followed Carr for the rest of his career. The Raiders didn't make the playoffs in 2017 and Del Rio was replaced with Gruden.

Then the departures began. Khalil Mack, Amari Cooper, Marquette King. The first round picks weren't hitting. The Raiders were losing in dramatic ways. A Ryan Fitzpatrick deep shot plus a facemask penalty, tanked their playoff hopes in 2020.

But in 2021, Carr pulled off magic with Rich Bisaccia, defeating the hated Los Angeles Chargers to make the postseason in the final game of the season.

But then the Raiders hired Josh McDaniels in 2022, and the cycle started all over again with Carr departing at the end of the season.

Despite all the dysfunction, change in direction, and changes to the coaching staff, Carr never wavered, he never made excuses, he never gave up.

He'd do some things that made you go wow, that made you go why, that made you rip your hair out.

In that time, he was winning games at the death, he was doing what many said couldn't be done. He made Raider Nation believe again and thus Carr should be rewarded with the love he gave game in and game out for the Silver and Black.

A man committed to excellence, the Raiders are better because of Carr.

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