New Orleans is among the greatest culinary destinations in America, and perhaps the world. The region is renowned for its Creole cuisine, and visitors from across the globe flock to the city to experience one-of-a-kind dishes like gumbo, jambalaya, dirty rice and, of course, beignets for dessert.
New Saints quarterback Derek Carr, however, apparently wasn’t interested in any of that.
Carr, who last week signed a four-year, $150 million deal with New Orleans, told reporters on Saturday that the first place he and his wife stopped for a meal upon arriving in their new home was not a landmark establishment like Brennan’s or Cafe Du Monde. Instead, the Carrs opted for a more familiar choice: Chipotle.
At least the veteran quarterback was able to poke fun at himself for his uninspired selection: “What are we doing?” Carr recalls asking his wife, per ESPN’s Katherine Terrell.
While this kind of cultural faux pas is certainly not an ideal start to his Saints career, Carr will be counted on to produce much better results on the field. New Orleans has posted a 16–18 mark over the past two seasons, missing the playoffs in both years. If Carr is able to engineer a turnaround, perhaps his new fan base will be willing to overlook his debut dining experience—and, hopefully, give him some useful recommendations for the next time around.
