Raiders quarterback Derek Carr is headed back to the Pro Bowl for the fourth time in his career after he was named as an AFC replacement for the inaugural Pro Bowl Games on Tuesday.
The nod came even as a surprise to the 31-year-old quarterback, who took to Twitter to react the news and make a small dig at being passed over for a spot in the annual showcase in past years.
“Well… maybe this invitation got lost in the mail from past seasons but I’m going back to pro bowl #4,” Carr quipped in his tweet. “See you soon Vegas!”
Carr is one of three quarterbacks who replaced the original selections as alternates for the AFC side, alongside Jaguars breakout Trevor Lawrence and Ravens backup Tyler Huntley. Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow and Josh Allen were first tabbed as the conference’s signal-callers, but the Chiefs star is bound for the Super Bowl and the other two opted out of the new format.
Though his 2022 season may not have been his strongest from a statistical perspective (3,522 yards, 24 touchdowns and 14 interceptions), Carr’s Pro Bowl selection will give him the chance to make an official goodbye to the city of Las Vegas, with the main event set to take place at Allegiant Stadium. Reports have indicated that Carr has already played his last snap for the Raiders after getting benched for the final two games of the campaign and that the front office is exploring trade destinations for the 2014 second-round draft pick.
Carr issued a written farewell to Raider Nation earlier in the month in which he spoke favorably about his time with the franchise. Now he’ll have a chance to bid goodbye to the team’s fan base one last time at home before he’s moved elsewhere.
The Pro Bowl Games will take place throughout the end of this week, culminating in a flag football game on Sunday, Feb. 5.
