Derek Carr will get a chance to say farewell to Las Vegas Raiders fans after the quarterback was added to this weekend’s Pro Bowl roster.
On Tuesday, Carr announced he will be taking part in this year’s revamped Pro Bowl Games at Allegiant Stadium. For the first time, the event will consist of skills competitions and non-contact flag football games rather than a full-blooded tackle football match.
While Carr didn’t end the 2022 season as the starting quarterback of the Raiders, he has still found himself with the opportunity to play in the Pro Bowl. The named starters have pulled out, leaving the door open for the 31-year-old to play in his fourth Pro Bowl and first since 2017.
Carr is the third replacement quarterback to represent the AFC this year’s event alongside Jacksonville Jaguars star Trevor Lawrence and Baltimore Ravens backup Tyler Huntley, who took the AFC North team to the playoffs in Lamar Jackson’s absence. Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Joe Burrow were originally selected as the AFC quarterbacks.
After their loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels announced the team would be sitting longtime quarterback Carr for the rest of the season. Carr decided to step away from the team entirely in order to avoid being a distraction while Jarrett Stidham took over.
The Pro Bowl nod means Carr will have one more appearance at Allegiant Stadium, home of the Raiders. He will also wear the famous silver and black of the franchise, which could be awkward for the veteran quarterback.
He appeared to be somewhat excited when he took to social media, writing four laughing emojis before saying: “Well… maybe this invitation got lost in the mail from past seasons but I’m going back to Pro Bowl #4. See you soon Vegas!”
Carr was selected by the then-Oakland Raiders in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He holds a number of Raiders franchise records, including total touchdown passes (217), passing yards (35,222), passer rating (91.8) and most fourth-quarter comebacks (28).
Derek Carr’s impending Raiders exit is set to spark a quarterback carousel around the NFL. For quarterbacks looking for new homes like Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady, the Raiders could be an attractive proposition given the exciting market and talent on the roster.
