The Derek Carr era with the Raiders is over.
The longtime Las Vegas quarterback was benched for backup Jarrett Stidham in the Raiders’ final two games of the regular season. Carr stepped away from the team during that time as to not serve as a distraction despite Vegas having nothing to play for.
Many speculated this was the end of Carr’s time with Raiders, and he confirmed as much Thursday morning on Twitter with a heartfelt post.
Here’s what Carr wrote:
Raider Nation is 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. 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 Raiders fans.
Thank you 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 the journey. Raider Nation truly is special.
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 distinguish; 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 towards.
Carr was drafted by the Raiders in 2014 and started 16 games that season, completing 58.1% of his passes and throwing for 21 touchdowns in a 3-13 campaign.
Should a team trade for Carr, it would be taking on quite a bit of money.
It’s unclear where Carr’s next stop will be, but there are quite a few teams who will be in search of a new quarterback this offseason.
