The retirement life seems to be suiting Derek Carr very well. He left the Saints with a six-foot-three QB-shaped hole in the wall, and a lot of trouble going into the new season. Since performance after surgery wasn’t a 100% guarantee, we can’t really hold it against him. And Derek is enjoying his retired life. He’s watering the plants, coaching his kids, playing golf, and just spending time with his family. While he does all that, he has also recently started his own YouTube channel with his brother David Carr. And now, the two veteran QBs have some golden nuggets of wisdom for the new generation of QBs this year.
David Carr played 11 seasons in the NFL, and he’s still going strong as the offensive coordinator for Bakersfield. Interestingly, Derek has also played in the NFL for exactly 11 seasons. With more than a decade of experience each, these brothers have seen it all from moving to new cities to locker room drama. So when the QBs speak up with some advice, the young QBs like Shedeur Sanders and Tyler Shough sit up a little straighter to listen. Shedeur was a late-round pick, and Tyler will try to fill the gap left by Derek Carr. With the drive to prove themselves to their teams, the new QBs must become sponges to absorb as much as they can. And the Carr brothers are helping, big time.
On their YouTube channel Home Grown Media, David and Derek Carr spoke about their own experiences in the NFL. As Derek sums it up pretty well right at the start, “POV: you just got drafted. Now what?” And that’s exactly the question they address. David Carr was a first-rounder back in 2002, and Derek Carr was a second-rounder in 2014. So they clearly had different experiences right from the start. David reveals he even flew into the draft on the franchise (Houston Texans) owners’ plane. And here’s where the wisdom nuggets begin. David Carr said, “you show up and you’re the youngest dude there. – That was what was most shocking to me – just grown men with families and you’re like man, I gotta lead this whole group. That was the first thing it was kind of shocking but you got to get acclimated because it’s a completely different world.”
So, the first thing to do is make adjustments from college plays to NFL plays. And as a QB, being the youngest player in the locker room has its challenges. Especially when you have to lead the team to victories. And Derek Carr wants the new players to get to know the media. And that’s solid gold, because the media will be following the players, shaping their narratives throughout their careers. Derek said, “Usually, what happens right after you get picked is you do media. – you’re answering questions – all of those writers and all of those people following that, you got to get to know them. You’re learning names and they’re asking you questions.” And if you thought that was all the Carr brothers had to share, make room on your notebook. The ex-Giants and Saints QBs have a lot more to say.
Derek Carr’s post-retirement wisdom for young QBs
Derek Carr was all set to dominate this new season with the Saints. Given that he would recover from his shoulder injury on time. But as per medical reports, he “sustained a labral tear and also had significant degenerative changes to his rotator cuff.” While surgery was one way to go, it was a Hail Mary at best because there was no guarantee that he would get the prime playing arm back. So, after weeks of deliberation, he finally dropped the news on 10th May. “Upon reflection of prayer, and in discussion with Heather, I’ve decided to retire from the National Football League.” Since surgery wasn’t a sure way to go, a forced early retirement was what it came down to in the end. So when Derek and David talked about “life after football”, we knew it was coming very close from home.
Oct 8, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) runs off of the field after a game against the New England Patriots during the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
As Derek Carr put it, the fans are a big part of getting used to a new city when a player switches teams. “I think fans do a fantastic job of welcoming you,” Derek Said. He also dropped a ‘thank you’ to all the fans who made it easy for him through his moves. The other thing Derek Carr wants the young players to think about is taxes. As Derek said, “All right, so whatever you think that everyone got is cut in half.” And David doubled down, saying they’ve got to think about “life after football while you’re playing.” He added the reality check, “we can only do this until we’re like until our hips blow out right or something just stops working and then what are we?”
The final words of wisdom by Derek Carr are to take all the experience that you can, and put it to use. He emphasises that the NFL is their career now, and they need to make the transition properly. “Like this is your job. Yeah, it’s a different animal. And so it’s a big transition but leaning on the veterans asking them questions. That’s all I did. I asked questions. I tried to learn…” So, ask questions. Learn as much as you can. With these inspiring words, the Carr brothers are clearly giving back to the NFL world in a big way. And we can be sure that the rookies are taking notes.
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