Quarterback Derek Carr’s time with the Raiders has not officially come to an end yet, but it’s clear that he’s going to be moving on before the start of the 2023 season.
Carr was benched for the final two weeks of the regular season and posted a farewell message to his Twitter account on Thursday. He told Raiders fans that it “breaks my heart I didn’t get an opportunity to say goodbye in person” and then pivoted to what’s next.
Carr referenced a past comment that he’d probably quit football if he wasn’t a member of the Raiders while saying that he is going to be continuing his career elsewhere.
“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,” Carr wrote. “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 towards.”
Carr’s contract calls for $40.4 million to become guaranteed three days after the Super Bowl and the Raiders are expected to try to find a team to trade for him in the coming weeks. Carr can veto a trade, however, and could push for a release if he thinks that’s the better path for him to find his next football home.