By Anthony Galaviz (The Sacramento Bee)
Derek Carr bid farewell to Raider Nation in a post he shared on social media Thursday morning.
His his first message since the Las Vegas Raiders benched him for the final two games of the NFL season, Carr said he “never envisioned it ending this way” and that “the fire burning inside of me to win a championship still rages.”
Carr reportedly told Dave Ziegler and Josh McDaniels that he will step away to avoid any distractions on the team.
Carr was not with the Raiders for the final two games after the team benched him to avoid any injuries that could have led to his contract being automatically guaranteed by Feb. 15.
Carr finished among the top half of NFL quarterbacks in multiple passing categories but below the standards of his recent years.
The team also went 6-9 in his starts, all this despite the offseason addition of Davante Adams in a blockbuster trade.
Carr finished with 3,522 passing yards and 24 touchdowns against 14 interceptions. His completion percentage was 60.8%, the lowest he had since his rookie season in 2014 when he was at 58.1%.
Carr averaged above 68% from 2018-2021.
Carr sent a lengthy goodbye on social media, expressing his gratitude to the Raiders, fans and desire to win a Super Bowl.
“Raider Nation it breaks my heart I didn’t get an opportunity to say goodbye in person. We certainly have been on a roller coaster in our 9 years together,” Carr wrote.
“From the bottom of my heart, I am so grateful and appreciative of the years of support you gave to my family and me. We had our share of both heartbreaking moments and thrilling game-winning drives, and it always felt like you were there next to me.
“It’s especially hard to say goodbye because I can honestly say that I gave you everything I had, every single day, in season, and in the offseason. It certainly wasn’t perfect, but I hope that I was able to leave you with more than a few great memories as Raiders fans.
“Thank you to the city of Oakland for taking us in. Thank you to the city of Las Vegas for allowing us to proudly call you home. Thank you to the organization, my teammates, all my coaches, staff, and everyone that helped me these last 9 years in those 2 buildings. Thanks to all of Raider Nation that supported, encouraged, pushed, and uplifted me at different times along this journey. Raider Nation truly is special.
“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. That fire burning inside of to win a championship still rages. A fire no man can extinguish; only God. So I look forward to new a city and a 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.
“God bless you and with love, DC4.”
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