Derek Carr announced his retirement on May 10, with the New Orleans Saints saying the quarterback had a labral tear and “significant degenerative changes to his rotator cuff.” His decision to retire ultimately came after he decided that he didn’t want to “just take” money from the organization.

Surgery was considered an option, but Carr told Front Office Sports that he ultimately didn’t feel right with either possibility.

“That part was tough because I didn’t want to have surgery and just sit there and – it sounds crazy but – just take the Saints’ money,” Carr told Front Office Sports. “I wouldn’t have been able to play if I had the surgery and then if I tried to play with it, I wasn’t near 100%, and so that doesn’t help either. I just felt like it was the right thing to do for myself and for the team.”

Carr signed a four-year, $150 million contract with the Saints in 2023. He forfeited his $30 million base salary for the 2025 season due to his retirement, although he did get to keep a $10 million roster bonus for 2025.

With Carr’s retirement, the Saints’ quarterback situation is uncertain. The Saints are currently holding a quarterback competition among second-round pick Tyler Shough, Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener. Even with Carr’s retirement, the Saints were prepared to be without him for some of the season, so they went through the draft process accordingly.

“He did everything he could,” Saints coach Kellen Moore said of Carr last month. “As he’s gone through this, he’s communicated extremely well. He’s worked really hard to put himself in position, and ultimately this was the outcome.”

Carr is enjoying life away from football as he gets to spend that time with his family.

“My agent literally texted me a few days ago and he said, ‘Hey, just checking in. How’s everything? You feel comfortable with the decision?’ And I sent him a picture of me on the beach with my two kids playing. And I said, “‘This beats an OTA any day.’ And he said, ‘Yeah, I thought so,'” Carr told Front Office Sports. “So I’m doing great and have thoroughly enjoyed being home.”

The New Orleans Saints have named rookie Spencer Rattler as the starting quarterback for Week 6, replacing injured starter Derek Carr. Carr sustained an oblique injury in Week 5 and will likely miss multiple weeks.

“We just internally talked a lot about it and felt like in this particular game he was going to give us the best chance to win,” Saint head coach Dennis Allen said of Rattler on Wednesday. “He’s a rookie so we’re going to have some challenges that go along with that but I think we’ll have a good plan for him.”

Losing Carr, who led New Orleans to a hot start, could be brutal for a team some suspected to be a playoff contender in 2024. The team’s first game without him will be against the Buccaneers, their bitter NFC South rivals entering Week 6 with a 3-2 record.

Unlike many teams who drafted a rookie quarterback in the 2024 draft, the Saints did not take Rattler with any intention of starting him this year. The 24-year-old took an extremely tumultuous path to reach the NFL. Named the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy as Oklahoma’s starter in 2021, he was benched halfway through the season and replaced by Caleb Williams. 

After the 2021 season, Rattler transferred to South Carolina and spent his last two seasons of eligibility there, finding moderate success on underperforming teams. In 2024, the Bears took Williams with the first-overall pick. Rattler went in the fifth round.

Regardless of whether the Saints simplify schemes or force Rattler into Carr’s system, the Saints offense as a whole will likely take a step back. Running back Alvin Kamara could still be productive due to his receiving ability out of the backfield, but wide receivers Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed may struggle to build rapport with their new quarterback on short notice.

If Rattler proves ineffective, the Saints could very easily move on to the second-year backup Jake Haener, who filled in for Carr after he exited in Week 5. Like Carr, Haener went to Fresno State. New Orleans selected him in the fourth round of the 2023 draft.

The sweepstakes for wide receiver Davante Adams is firmly under way, as Adams’ trade request has seemingly been accepted by the Las Vegas Raiders. Despite the star receiver’s obvious talent, a number of financial caveats, from Adams’ current contract to future negotiations, may narrow down the list of potential buyers.

Adams has routinely expressed his displeasure in the Raiders since last season, and after trade rumors fell through in 2023, Las Vegas is again looking for interested parties. A mix of solid reports and flimsier rumors seem to suggest that there is immense interest in the receiver across the league.

The New York Jets have been labeled the favorites to acquire Adams because of his previous connection with quarterback Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay. With Rodgers under center, Adams became a household name with the Packers, and New York has already brought on the likes of receiver Allen Lazard and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett in order to better accommodate its quarterback.

Meanwhile, in a similar vein to the Jets, the Saints may also be able to provide a comfortable and familiar system for Adams. It’s hard to remember now, but one of Adams’ primary reasons for going to the Raiders in the first place was to play with quarterback Derek Carr. The two were teammates together at Fresno State, and Adams was eager to play with his old quarterback in Las Vegas. The team waived Carr the following off-season and he signed with New Orleans.

While the Jets and Saints might provide the right fit, they may not be the most desperate. Several teams, including the Steelers, Commanders and Chiefs, could significantly benefit from a trade for a premium wide receiver. Pittsburgh sent Diontae Johnson to Carolina in the off-season, Washington’s receiver core beyond Terry McLaurin is flimsy at best and the Chiefs just lost Rashee Rice to an ACL injury. Adding Adams could open up entirely new offensive possibilities for all three teams.

While fantasizing about Adams’ potential impact around the league provides a great deal of entertainment, money may prove to be the deciding factor. In 2024, he has a $16.89 million salary. Any team that acquires Adams at this point will take a salary cap hit around $13 million this season.

To address this problem, teams will likely request that the Raiders continue paying part of Adams’ salary. This obviously hurts Las Vegas, but could also help them acquire more in return for him.

In another potential snag, there is no more guaranteed money on Adams’ current contract after this season. Not only must the team trading for him have the cap space now, but it’s possible that he will also ask for a new deal before he sets foot on the field again. The Jets have already seen the dangers of this, as newly acquired linebacker Haason Reddick is currently sitting out the 2024 season because the team didn’t meet his  contract demands.

The logistical and financial nightmare of acquiring Adams is at direct odds with the prospect of fielding Adams, which would be immensely exciting for every team in the league. The price must be right, however, and teams must deal with the razor-thin margins and future planning before they can bring the six-time Pro-Bowler aboard.

March 13 is fast approaching. Free agency and contract buzz is engulfing the NFL world, and the New Orleans Saints are one of many teams with tough decisions to make.

Per ESPN, the Saints will restructure the contract of starting quarterback Derek Carr. The financial move is being made to comply with the updated NFL salary cap rules. New Orleans would save about $23 million with the contract reconstruction. The Saints currently have $76 million over the cap, the most in the NFL.

The money saved because of the Saints adjusting to this year’s cap figure also will make it harder in future years to move on from Carr. The restructuring means more money will be owed by the team down the line, making it harder for the Saints to move on from Carr due to the longer financial investment.

The decision to specifically target Carr’s salary also reveals the Saints’ unwavering confidence in the former Pro Bowl quarterback. Despite the team narrow missing the playoff last season with a 9-8 record, Carr threw for 3,878 yards with 25 touchdowns and only 8 interceptions. He also has two young, exciting wide receivers Rashid Shaheed and Chris Olave, who can get even better over the off-season.

To further meet the salary cap regulations, Carr won’t be the only player whose contract will be adjusted or even terminated. Tough decisions will have to be made about veteran running back Alvin Kamara and stalwart defensive end Cameron Jordan, who might end up becoming casualties of the team trying to adjust the team’s financial straits.

New Orleans was a decent team in 2023. But to become better in 2024, much conversation will be had about what to do with some of their aging stars, and how to meet the rules of the new salary cap.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Jake Haener has been suspended by the NFL for six games after failing a drug test earlier this summer. Taysom Hill was named the third-string quarterback earlier this week, putting Haener fourth behind Derek Carr, Jameis Winston and Hill.

Following the NFL’s suspension ruling, which claimed that Haener had an undisclosed banned substance in his body when he was tested during the preseason, the quarterback released a statement apologizing for the incident.

“I recently learned that I tested positive for a substance banned by the NFL earlier this summer,” the statement read. “I still do not know how the substance got into my body, as none of my supplements or prescribed medications contain the banned ingredient. I would never knowingly cheat the game that I love, however I must take full responsibility for the failed test. I apologize to the Saints organization, my friends and my family for any distraction this suspension may cause. I am disappointed to be away from the team for the coming weeks, but I will learn and grow from this experience. I look forward to returning to the team as soon as possible.”

Though it was unlikely that Haener was going to play in the first six games of the season anyway, the suspension could put his position on the team in jeopardy. New Orleans selected him in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Fresno State, where he played his final three seasons of college football. In 2021, he threw for 4,096 yards and 33 touchdowns for the Bulldogs. He previously played at the University of Washington but only appeared in three games for the Huskies in 2018.

If the Saints need to make space on their roster, it’s a distinct possibility that Haener could be released or sent to the practice squad. If that does not occur, however, he will serve his suspension and rejoin the team in Week 7 and fill in as needed behind the team’s more experienced passers.

The Raiders released the veteran quarterback Derek Carr back in February, but recently, the former Vegas signal caller apologized to Raiders fans about his performance last season, saying “I just didn’t feel like myself, and I feel bad for the (Raiders’) coaches and players.”

The former four-time pro bowler was benched in the last two games in 2022, before ultimately stopping Vegas from trade him before the offseason, using his no-trade clause so he could enter the offseason as a free agent before picking New Orleans as his next destination.

The Raiders replaced the 32-year-old with a 31-year-old, as Vegas inked a deal with former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason, barring a complication with his waiver that he signed in place of a physical (due to his foot surgery).

Back in January, despite his abrupt exit from the team, Carr posted his farewell to Raider Nation but also stated that he wanted “tell the whole truth” publicly, but just couldn’t or just wanted to let go of his past to move on to his future team, as he is now with the Saints.

However, this recent apology was issued about his on-field play, stating the fans did not see the best version of him last season. Carr said, “They just didn’t get my best, and that drove me crazy at the end of the year because I felt so spread out in so many different ways.”

His 2022 campaign was less than spectacular, as Vegas was third in the division, only winning six games after things were looking up in 2021. The Raiders, the year before this past season, were on the cusp of winning their wildcard berth against the Cincinnati Bengals, winning ten games and placing second in the division after Rich Bisaccia took over as the intern once John Gruden stepped down as the head coach.

Carr had a rocky career as a Raider, as statically some years he was better than average, but it never amount to wins in the postseason. Despite suffering a few injuries in his career, he has only missed around two to four games due to injury. Durability is Carr’s strong suit, but the 32-year-old still had one of his worst seasons this past year in his last 15 games, despite the addition of All-Pro and former college teammate Davante Adams in the offseason prior via trade.

In 2022, Carr posted his second lost completion percentage since his rookie year, with 60.8, and threw fewer yards since his 2017 year, when the Raiders were in Oakland. Only throwing for 3,522 yards in the air, he also threw the most amount of interceptions in a single year as a Raider, with 14. Carr’s passer rating, at 86.3, was also the second lowest in his career since his rookie year.

Along with his performance, Carr’s transition with head coach Josh McDaniels was anything but smooth. Apparently, his offensive scheme somewhat led to his on-field struggles that also involved some private matters off the field.

The former Raiders quarterback signed a four-year, $150 million contract that includes $100 million in total guarantees this past offseason, according to NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo.

The new Saints quarterback is optimistic about his new start in New Orleans, stating that his goal is to maintain a “simple” focus on his team and football while getting the best version of himself.

“I’ve tried my best to get back to that. Hopefully, it leads to some success,” Carr said. “It’s going to be a great lesson for me to learn to help some guys down the road when they go through a coaching change or a shift in whatever they’re doing.”

After nine years with the team that drafted him in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft out of Fresno State, Carr moves on as the starter of the Saints for this coming season.

The Los Vegas Raiders might move on from Derek Carr even sooner than many expect.

The way the quarterback’s contract is structured results in his $40.4 million salary becomes fully guaranteed for 2023 if the Raiders don’t move on by February 15.

Since it’s pretty obvious the team won’t be bringing Carr back, the team might move a lot quicker.

This is because the 31-year-old is slated to participate in the Pro Bowl flag football game Sunday.

Although he will be representing the Raiders, the team of course might be worried about his health after the game.

“A league exec openly wondered this week whether the Raiders would cut Derek Carr before he participates in the Pro Bowl flag football game Sunday since an injury there could trigger his $40.4 million guarantee early,” ESPN Insider Jeremy Fowler wrote in a column today, as cited by Raiders Beat.

Add that to the fact that Carr said he wouldn’t extend the deadline passed February 15 to buy the organization some extra time to trade him.

And if the Raiders allow the situation to drag out passed the deadline, then it could be tougher to find a trade partner.

So it’s Carr’s days as a Raider that could come to an end at any point ahead of Sunday.

This would mark the 2014 second pick’s fourth Pro Bowl with the Raiders.

In nine seasons, all with the same organization, Carr has thrown for more than 35,000 passing yards with 217 touchdown passes.

But now it will likely be the beginning of a new era for both the Raiders and Carr.

In particular, Fowler reportedly said that the New Orleans Saints are “buzzing” as a landing spot for the quarterback.

Saints 2022 starting quarterback Andy Dalton is scheduled to become a free agent.

Also, expect the New York Jets to show some interest.

Owner Woody Johnson said after the season ended that the quarterback was the “missing piece” and that he was willing to spend money on a veteran.

Some other teams that could use a quarterback include the Atlanta Falcons, Washington Commanders and others depending on what moves are made.

So Carr will have a market whether that’s via trade or free agency.

The Las Vegas Raiders will pursue Tom Brady in the 2022 offseason, as the team reportedly hopes to trade Derek Carr at some point in the next month. Brady’s contract with the Buccaneers will expire at the end of this season, allowing the 45-year-old quarterback to consider multiple options for the 2023 season and beyond.

Since Brady came back from his very brief retirement last offseason, he has not addressed his future much with reporters, instead assuming a short-term mindset as he finishes his final season with the Bucs. But reports suggest that several teams have inquired about signing Brady to a new deal, which could extend his career for multiple seasons. Along with the Raiders, the Titans and 49ers are both rumored to be interested.

The Raiders are coming off a disappointing 6-11 season in which Carr, the team’s current quarterback, failed to maintain momentum after the team’s 2021 playoff appearance. Despite the addition of Davante Adams and an impressive season for running back Josh Jacobs, poor play from Carr and an even poorer defense kept Las Vegas out of contention.

With Carr reportedly on the trade block, Brady’s seven Super Bowls seem to be more than enough for teams like the Raiders to offer a deal, even as he makes his way to yet another age barrier at 46. Teams will undoubtedly be interested in Brady for as long as he wants to play football, putting him in a position to decide how he wants to proceed.

As he did in Tampa Bay, Brady would likely require an effective coaching staff and exceptional players around him, something that Las Vegas can likely offer. Head coach Josh McDaniels worked closely with him as the quarterback’s coach and offensive coordinator of the Patriots. Meanwhile, Adams, Jacobs and tight end Darren Waller are formidable offensive contributors.

The pieces may fall perfectly into place for Brady to reunite with his old coach in Las Vegas, but another retirement decision will ultimately determine whether the quarterback will be available to any team in the near future. For now, the Raiders must find a trade partner for Carr while Brady and the Bucs prepare for the Cowboys in their NFC Wild Card game.

The Las Vegas Raiders announced Wednesday that quarterback Derek Carr would “step away” from the team for the remainder of the season. With Carr at the helm in 15 starts in 2022, the team has earned a 6-9 record despite lofty expectations before the season. Backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham is scheduled to start Week 17.

When the Raiders acquired star wide receiver Davante Adams from the Green Bay Packers, it was a franchise-defining move for a team that always seemed to have potential. After reaching the playoffs in 2021, many analysts speculated that Adams was exactly what Carr would need to lead Las Vegas to a potential championship.

In some weeks, the team has lived up to those expectations. Adams has intermittently shone as the team’s top receiver while Josh Jacobs has improved dramatically to become one of the best running backs in the league. Las Vegas has defeated the Chargers and Seahawks, teams with legitimate playoff hopes, while contending with Super Bowl contenders like the Chiefs and 49ers.

But there have been inexcusable setbacks along the way too. They suffered a defeat to the lowly Colts in interim head coach Jeff Saturday’s debut in Week 10. Saturday hasn’t won a game since. Then, they lost again in shocking fashion in Week 14, giving up two late touchdowns to the Los Angeles Rams led by emergency quarterback Baker Mayfield.

The team’s erratic performance over the course of this season is not entirely due to Carr’s play, as head coach Josh McDaniels and the team’s subpar defense can also take part of the blame. But the fact remains that Carr has been painfully average despite excellent offensive contributors around him — he currently ranks 11th in passing yards, eighth in touchdowns and 24th in quarterback rating. He leads the league in interceptions with 14.

In Las Vegas’ game against the Rams, Carr completed 11 of 20 pass attempts for 137 yards. In terms of quarterback rating, he earned a 40.3, making it the fourth worst game of his season. On Oct. 30, he threw for 101 yards in a 24-0 loss to the Saints, earning a 15.0.

Stidham is a former Patriots backup quarterback that has shown glimmers of promise over the course of his career, but the decision to put him in for Carr is not a hopeful one. This is a matter of self-preservation for Las Vegas — a white flag as the team limps to the off-season.

Even then, things may not improve immediately, as the team will enter the 2023 NFL Draft without the first and second round picks it gave to the Packers for Adams. Earlier this year, Carr signed a three-year, $120 million extension, virtually ensuring his presence on the Raiders’ roster for the foreseeable future.

How much does it take to get someone to stay in the desert? $141.3 million over four years, as that’s what Derek Carr agreed to remain the Raiders’ quarterback.

Despite a few years of rumors that his time in silver and black could be coming to an end, Carr will now be calling signals in Las Vegas until at least 2025.

It’s technically a three-year extension worth up to $121.5 million, and his contract includes a no-trade clause.

Carr led the Raiders (10-7) to the playoffs last year, and this past offseason the team traded for his college teammate Davante Adams.

The 31-year-old has thrown for 31,700 yards and 193 touchdowns to 85 interceptions in 127 games, all with the Raiders. He owns a 57-70 record and has completed 2,896 of his 4,456 passes (65%).

The Las Vegas Raiders have been dealt with an unfortunate injury as their quarterback Derek Carr was injured during their Thursday night game.

The Raiders were hosting the visiting Los Angeles Chargers in a pivotal game that was important for the Raiders in their hunt to make it to the AFC playoffs as the wild card. However, it did not go well for Las Vegas during the first quarter of the game they lost their starting quarterback Carr to an injury. With three minutes left in the first quarter and Las Vegas close to the Charger’s endzone, Carr opted for a running play where he suffered an injury to his left leg.

The Raiders announced on Twitter that the quarterback had suffered a groin injury before saying that he would not return to the game.

Coach Jon Gruden reiterated that he believed that Carr suffered a significant injury. Gruden told reporters, “I don’t believe it’s a real tear. But obviously if he can’t finish the game, it’s got to be pretty significant … so it was tough.”

This comes as the 29-year-old was having a great season. He had thrown for 3,396 yards, 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions. His completion rate was 68.1%, which would have been his second career-best.

With the 29-year-old out for the coming weeks, the door has opened for 27-year Marcus Mariota to become the starting quarterback for the Raiders. The former Heisman Trophy winner replaced the injured quarterback in the game. Mariota finished the game with 226 yards, one touchdown and one interception during their overtime loss Thursday night.

There’s still no evidence Tom Brady will return to New England when NFL free agency begins March 18 and the Patriots must be prepared for life without him if he ultimately decides to sign with another team. Here’s some possible replacements that New England could sign in free agency or acquire via trade:

Andy Dalton:

Dalton will reportedly work with the Bengals on a trade that will land him at a destination that he prefers, and NFL Network Insider Ian Rapaport reported that he will be considered as a replacement for Brady if the Patriots’ are unable to resign the six-time Super Bowl Champion.

Dalton is a starting caliber quarterback who has nine years of experience in the AFC and can definitely benefit from the leadership and coaching savvy of Bill Belichick. Nonetheless, he has a career completion percentage of 62.6, and last year completed just 59.5% of his passes, third worst in the league. Yes, he can be a serviceable but it’s hard to replace a quarterback who is widely considered one of the greatest of all time with Dalton who is coming off the most dreadful year of his career. In 13 starts in the 2019 season, Dalton threw for 3,494 yards, 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions with a career-low 78.3 passer rating. Although the “Red Rifle” may be available, he shouldn’t be the first choice on New England’s wish list.

Teddy Bridgewater:

Most recently Bridgewater played valuable snaps for the Saints in the regular season to fill in for an injured Drew Brees and impressed critics with his accurate throwing ability and his intelligent decision making when faced with pressure in the pocket. In six starts for New Orleans, Bridgewater went 5-1 and compiled 1,384 passing yards, nine touchdowns and two interceptions with a passer rating of 99.1 and a completion rate of 67.9%. At 27 years old, Bridgewater is the perfect quarterback for Belichick to mold into the Patriots’ system because of his longevity. Available as a free agent, Bridgewater has the opportunity to become New England’s quarterback of the future with a reasonable price tag.

Philip Rivers:

Rivers is 38 years old and coming off one of the toughest years of his career that saw the Chargers finish last with a 5-11 record. He was able to throw for over 4,000 yards for his seventh straight season but had the worst interception to touchdown ratio of his career (1.15) finishing with 23 TD passes and 20 interceptions. To Rivers’ defense, a league-leading seven of those came while his team was trailing with five minutes left in the game, according to ESPN. New England, however, can provide a better offensive line and a top defense to prevent Rivers from constantly having to play from behind. He is also one of the best in the league at adjusting protection and is highly praised for his scrupulous game preparation. If Rivers does end up in New England, it’s fair to say that Belichick will be the best head coach he’s ever played for and the Patriots will remain Super Bowl contenders.

Derek Carr:

Carr is coming off one his best seasons as a Raider and actually outperformed Brady when considering his career-high passer rating (100.8) and career-high completion percentage (70.4) that ranked second in the NFL behind Brees. Brady had his worst passer rating (88.0) since 2013 and actually completed a lesser percentage of throws (60.8) by a large margin. You could also argue that the 29-year-old had a worse supporting cast than Brady besides the running back position occupied by rookie sensation Josh Jacobs. If he gets paired with Belichick and an elite defense via trade, there’s no doubt New England would be favorites to win the AFC East for years to come.

The next time the Raiders play a home game it will be at a brand new, domed stadium with natural grass right off the Las Vegas Strip. Allegiant Stadium is set to house 65,000 fans and will serve as the new home for the Raiders.

The Oakland Raiders played their last home game at RingCentral Coliseum, losing to the Jacksonville Jaguars in a last-minute 20-16 loss. As quarterback Derek Carr jogged off the field, the crowd’s dismay was evident as trash was thrown and boos were echoed from the 52,788 fan-filled stadium.

When asked about being booed off the field, Carr said, “Oh gosh. What’s new with our crowd? Whenever we don’t win, that’s going to happen. Trust me, it’s not under my skin. It’s nothing.”

The loss officially eliminated the Raiders from the AFC playoff race as they dropped their fourth straight game, falling to 6-8.

Carr was 22 of 36 for 267 yards and a touchdown. Running back Josh Jacobs had 24 carries for 89 yards and tight end Darren Waller had 122 yards on 8 receptions. Oakland had a dominant first half going up 16-3 through the second.

But Jaguars quarterback Gardner Minshew II and his teammates had other plans. With two touchdown passes in the final 5:15 of the game, the Jaguars squeezed out the upsetting loss for Oakland.

Minshew was 17 of 29 with 201 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Leonard Fournette had just 42 yards on 15 carries and wide receiver Keelan Cole had 76 yards on three receptions.

What started as a unique tailgating experience pregame and an electric first half of the game, turned to chaos quickly as trash began to rain down on the field and at one point the head referee pleading with the crowd to stop pointing laser-pointers at players.

SLIDESHOW: 50 GREAT SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2019

Raiders coach Jon Gruden said after, “I’d like to say I wish we could have sent the Raiders fans off with a lot better finish than that. I think, most importantly, before we talk about the game, is I would like to thank the fans. I would like to thank the city of Oakland for supporting the Raiders and being faithful, and I’ll miss them.”

And the city of Oakland, despite the ill-feelings yesterday, will miss their beloved Raiders as well.

The Raiders will play their final home game this Sunday in Oakland at the RingCentral Coliseum before making the move to Las Vegas next year. They have shared this venue with the Oakland A’s for over two decades. Leaving for Los Angeles in 1981, the Raiders came back in 1995 and have been here ever since.

Jon Gruden signed a ten-year contract last year to return as head coach of the Raiders after being fired by the team in 2001. He spoke to the media about his relationship with the fans. “Every win, I’m going down there. I get face paint all over me. I get to see some costumes I have not seen before at any football games. It’s awesome. There’s something about these people. They’re nuts. They’re the closest thing to me that I’ve ever seen. We have that in common,” Gruden told NBC Sports.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW 

Quarterback Derek Carr was asked about his mindset before his last game at the Coliseum. “There was some pretty cool memories that I have just of my own being on the team, but I think this one will rank right up there. I expect it to be crazy and loud and all those kinds of things, so we’re going to go out there and give our best effort. I promise you that.”

Carr was drafted by Oakland in 2014 and had his best year in 2016 before he was injured. Carr recalled, “I broke my ankle and you could just feel the air go out of the stadium. “I remember sitting there and as I was driving away just the applause and the cheers — it was like, for whatever reason, in that moment I felt the love back. That’s something I’ll always remember because I give everything I have for our team, and you give so much it’s always nice to hear it back.”

Oakland is now 6-7 after losing three straight and will most likely miss the playoffs, but the memories here will last forever.

“In a lot of ways I was raised here, you know what I mean?” Gruden said. “It was the beginning of my NFL coaching career, at least my head coaching career. I just love it here. I had my first son here and I have a lot of history here. And some of my friends, a lot of my friends are in the Black Hole. A lot of my only friends are here. (laughter) I don’t have a lot of friends except the guys in the Black Hole. I only get to see them six or seven times, and I get emotional talking about it. Look, we’re excited about the future in Las Vegas. I don’t want to underestimate that either, but we’re also very respectful of where we come from.”

After construction delays last year, the Raiders will play next year’s season opener at Allegiant Stadium. The state-of-the-art dome venue will include seating for 65,000 expandable to 72,000, and the Raiders front office is currently surveying new season ticket holders about the layout for parking and tailgating areas.

The score was close, but the play seemed lopsided Thursday night as the Oakland Raiders beat the L.A. Chargers 26-24.

Although neither Philip Rivers nor Derek Carr were particularly impressive for a sustained period of time besides some nice passes, the game went down to the final minutes due to some great defense. Carr ended up with an unimpressive 218 yards to Rivers’ 207. But the difference was the turnovers: Carr zero, Rivers three.

Rivers was picked early on twice, once in the opening drive by Erik Harris (who would go on to for another one that led to a pick-six). The Raiders can claim a team victory on this one with Carr protecting the ball an a single touchdown throw, kicker Daniel Carson going for eight points, rookie running back Joshua Jacobs scoring one and Harris with a touchdown.

Chargers were down 17-20 with four minutes to go when Rivers passed to Austin Ekeler in the red zone to make it 24-20. The Raiders had one final chance after that, which Carr took full advantage of. Credit the coaching staff as well, Carr threw the ball for first downs 10 to 12 yards at a time to go all the way across the field to the 18 yard line. No doubt San Diego expected another throw, Oakland instead handed the ball to Jacobs who ran almost straight ahead for the final touchdown. Jacobs ran for 71 yards, but that last drive drew up his fantasy value.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW 

The Chargers were indeed outplayed as they rushed Rivers five times to go with the three picks; which makes me question why the score was so close.

We will see in the coming weeks if the Chargers can pick up steam as they play the Pat Mahomes-less Kansas City Chiefs (who have split games without him) and get close to above .500, while the Raiders next face the win-less Cincinnati Bengals at 0-8.

Raiders Bengals on Sunday night and the Chiefs versus Chargers on Monday Night. Football.

Hall of Fame Oakland Raiders cornerback Willie Brown died on Tuesday. He was 78.

No cause of death was immediately given for the cornerback, although Brown had been suffering from cancer.

Brown led the Raiders to their first Super Bowl title in January 1977 after making a brilliant play in the contest against the Minnesota Vikings. Brown intercepted a pass from QB Fran Tarkenton and ran for a touchdown to make the score 32-0. The five-time first-team All-Pro cornerback — who played 12 seasons in Oakland — retired with the Raiders two seasons later and was ultimately inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1984. Before his tenure in Oakland, Brown played four seasons with the Denver Broncos, who signed him as an undrafted player out of Louisiana’s Grambling State in 1963.

In addition to his time as a player, Brown also served as an assistant coach for the Raiders from 1979 to 1988 and rejoined the franchise as director of staff development in 1995. He was also a coach at Long Beach Sate in 1991.

Pro Football Hall of Fame President David Baker paid tribute to Brown in a statement shared with local Oakland television station KTVU.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2019 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW 

“The entire Hall of Fame family mourns the loss of a great man,” Baker said in the statement. “Willie Brown was the epitome of the Raiders motto of ‘commitment to excellence’ that was integral to the team’s sustained success. He embodied virtues like passion, integrity, perseverance and always led by example. His character, on and off the field, made all those around him better.”

The Raiders, including quarterback Derek Carr, also shared their sentiments on the legend’s passing:

Antonio Brown, new star wide receiver for the Oakland Raiders, released pictures of his gruesome foot blisters that he received this summer that costed him to miss a few practices early in the preseason training camp. The pictures show that his absence is well-deserved and a good reason why he is taking days off during the preseason.

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Brown was picked up by head coach Jon Gruden after his offseason debacle with the Pittsburgh Steelers owners, the Rooney family. Gruden said that he was disappointed that his new top receiver is missing multiple practices in a crucial time period to get primed for the upcoming season.

“I think we’re all disappointed,” Gruden said, according to ESPN. “We think he’s disappointed. We’d like to get the party started. We’d like to get him out here. He’s a big part of the team. But for the time being we’re going to continue to work hard and we’re seeing the development of some other receivers we’re excited about.”

Brown missed a majority of the team practices last week.

Along with missing practice, the new feature on HBO’s Hardknocks will feature the Raiders, with the first episode coming out on Tuesday night. A recent trailer clip of the highly-awaited show reveals Brown talking to his kids about his new move to Oakland, compared to his time at Pittsburgh.

One of his kids asks, “where’s [Ben] Roethlisberger?”

Brown avoids the talk surrounding his rumored effort to move from the Steelers in order to receive more money, and instead says, “he play with the Steelers. Our quarterback Derek [Carr] now,” Brown said to his kids, according to Los Angeles Times. “We don’t play with Roethlisberger no more. We play with the Raiders.”

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Brown’s kids then ask him why he isn’t out there practicing with the rest of the team. He responds with, “daddy’s feet still sore,” he said, according to the New York Post.

The former three-time Super Bowl champion and Oakland Raiders legend, Cliff Branch, died of natural causes last weekend in a hotel room in Arizona.

Branch was a receiver for the Raiders, and was a key piece of their former glory years of the late 1970s and early 80s. Fred Biletnikoff partnered with Branch on the receiving end to help Ken Stabler, the popular Raiders quarterback. The trio, along with the dominant offensive line the Raiders were equipped with, ran the AFC West for five years.

According to investigators in Arizona, Branch died from natural causes, but no official information has been released for the cause of death. Police found his body in Bullhead City, Arizona, around 3:40 local time. The Mohave County Medical Examine have his body now, and more information will be released. His 71st birthday was two days prior to him passing away on Saturday.

“When you were across from him, there was fear there,” said Ronnie Lott, a former San Francisco 49ers and Raiders safety, in a video dedicated to Branch.

“He changed the way the game, and the way the game was played as a wide receiver,” said Mel Blount, the Hall of Famer Pittsburgh Steelers corner, who went up against Branch multiple times.  “People started going out looking for speed, and looking for guys like Cliff Branch.”

Branch was a flashy receiver with jaw-dropping ability. He finished his pro career with over 500 catches for 8,685 yards, an average of 17.3 yards per reception. He finished in the end-zone category with 67 total touchdowns. He was a Hall of Fame semifinalist in 2004 and 2010, but was never truly enshrined. He leaves behind a strong legacy with the NFL and the Raiders organization.

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Former major athletes in the NFL went to social media to honor Branch. Including the legend Tim Brown, who said on Twitter, “my heart is broken hearing the news of Cliff Branch passing! A few years back we shared the stage for the induction into the CAHOF. It’s a moment now even more special #Rip21.” 

“Everybody wants to be a Raider!” exclaimed owner Mark Davis upon learning his franchise, the Oakland Raiders, will star as HBO’s zoo animal during this year’s season of Hard Knocks.

Now the entire world will taste first hand what it’s like to be a Raider, as the award-winning TV show plans to illustrate and give insight on the team during their training camp programs, which they’ve done with multiple other teams for 13 seasons.

The Raiders got the nod over the New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions,and head coach John Gruden’s brother’s team, the Washington Redskins led by Jay Gruden. Although the teams drawing HBO’s consideration each summer often fail to turn things around and achieve a playoff berth the following year, the Raiders appeared upbeat and candidly excited to show off their organization’s internal components once the news broke. Newly-acquired wide receiver Antonio Brown tweeted out his reaction to the news as he stated, “It’s a hard knock life for us,” and then “Get your popcorn ready.” Raiders quarterback Derek Carr replied to Brown as he commented, “Yes sirrrrr brodie!!!”

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Brown poises to offer the entertaining content that most HBO viewers crave, as his antics surrounding his departure from the Pittsburgh Steelers and beef with former teammate JuJu Smith–Shuster generated multiple drama–filled headlines this offseason. Additionally, the Raiders intend to share practice time with the Los Angeles Rams during their respective offseason programs, allowing viewers to glimpse into the defending NFC Champions’ behind-the-scenes action simultaneously.

During their final season prior to shipping off for Las Vegas, the Raiders now own perhaps their franchise’s largest media spotlight ever. Hard Knocks premieres August 6.

Derek Carr denied tears and confirmed his love for the Raiders as the team sits at the bottom of the AFC West at 1-5.

Derek Carr says he still loves raiders

Oakland Raiders quarterback Carr sent out a tweet Tuesday morning exclaiming his love for the team and his determination to “fight back for our city when not a lot of people believe in us.”

Carr’s tweet was In response to a story by The Athletic, which reported that Carr has a “fractured relationship” with his Raiders teammates, in part because of film that appeared to show the quarterback crying after taking a sack and injuring his arm in Oakland’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 6.

Minutes later, Carr’s older brother Darren Carr took to Twitter to defend his brother.

The Raiders traded Amari Cooper to the Cowboys for a 2019 first-round pick Monday. The Raiders also traded star pass-rusher Khalil Mack to the Chicago Bears before the season for two first-round picks.

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“We’re not trading anyone else,” Raiders head coach Jon Gruden said on Monday when asked specifically about Carr. “We’re trying to stay competitive and figure out a way to compete for this next game.”

Carr is in the second season of a five-year extension that includes $70 million. Carr has struggled in his first season with Gruden, amassing eight interceptions and just seven touchdowns in six games.

Wednesday morning, fellow NFL quarterback Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers decided to add his own thoughts on the subject by saying, “Just because you cry, doesn’t mean you’re any less manly.”

“He might have been (physically) hurting, who knows?” Roethlisberger said. “I know I have cried in the locker room before from both joy and pain. You lose a football game, (you hurt).

The Raiders will host the Indianapolis Colts Sunday at Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum, California. The game will air on CBS at 4:05 p.m. EST.