The NFL recently saw several players opt-out of playing football heading into the upcoming season. Most of the players cited health and safety concerns for fear of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. However, the list didn't include any quarterback thus far and Las Vegas starting gunslinger Derek Carr never planned on being the first.
The three-time Pro Bowler shared his reasons in a video conference, via Jerry McDonald of the Bay Area News Group:
“I did not,” he said. “I have a lot to prove to myself. I have a lot to prove to my organization. I’m going to be completely honest with you: I’m tired of being disrespected. So there was no question I was going to play this year.”
On a Christmas Eve game in Week 16 of the 2016 season, Derek Carr left the Raiders' eventual 33–25 win against the Indianapolis Colts in the fourth quarter with an apparent leg injury. It sidelined him for the remainder of the year, forcing him to miss what could have been an MVP-caliber season.
After signing a massive five-year contract in the 2017 season, his numbers surprisingly dipped and his team went on to miss the playoffs.
Despite the adversity, the Fresno State product is now on the rise once again as he was able to surpass his numbers from last season. Carr finished his 2019 campaign with 4,054 passing yards on 513 attempts and scored 21 passing touchdowns.
However, his solid contribution was still not enough to will his team back to the playoffs. The Raiders finished third place in the AFC West division with a 7-9 record. The team was tied with the Denver Broncos and trailed the division-leading Kansas City Chiefs.
The six-year playmaker is heading to the upcoming season with a chip on his shoulder. He hopes to re-establish himself as the franchise quarterback now that the team has brought in former Heisman Trophy Marcus Mariota to vie for the starting role as well. Ultimately, he hopes to end a 17-year playoff drought for the Raiders to begin a new era in Las Vegas.
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