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Several Las Vegas Raiders players and employees have revealed how and why the relationship between franchise quarterback Derek Carr and new head coach Josh McDaniels deteriorated so fast.
Carr, a three-time Pro Bowler who was coming off a career high 4,804 yards passing in 2021, signed a three-year, $121.5 million contract extension with the Raiders in April of this year.
By Week 17 of the 2022 NFL season, he had been benched in favor of Jarrett Stidham, who had thrown just 48 passes during his three seasons in the NFL prior to this year.
So what happened between April and December that caused Carr to go from the quarterback of the future for the Raiders to not even suiting up for the final two games of the season?
Sports Illustrated reporter Hondo Carpenter spoke to multiple sources with the Las Vegas Raiders organization, including some players, to find out.
He lists a plethora of reasons and shares a lengthy list of quotes from those inside the Raiders organization, but a handful really stick out.
One indication that the relationship between Carr and McDaniels was beginning to fracture came early on in the new coach’s Raiders tenure.
“I had never heard Derek spoken to like Josh did. He didn’t drop F-bombs, or ridicule him, but film sessions with Josh are brutal,” said one player.
Another member of the organization added, “He has never had his mail read in front of the entire team like that.”
McDaniels is from the Belichick school of coaching and that too could have been an issue for Derek Carr.
“The Patriot way of mindlessly going over every detail is now the Raider way. Josh is fair, he will call out a player, and a coach. That is not good for some people,” said another insider.
“He holds the ball and touches the ball on half of the plays every game. Of course he got ripped more than anyone, he was the guy who touched the ball more than anyone,” they said. “I think he felt that McDaniels was unfairly putting everything on him.”
— Derek Carr (@derekcarrqb) January 12, 2023
Another player said, “Josh McDaniels had sold Derek on how much he believed in him, and the criticism, I think, and it is just one guy’s opinion, made Derek think that Josh was dishonest.”
Other said this year was different for Carr. He didn’t appear to be having fun anymore under McDaniels.
“I think Derek became more concerned about Josh’s criticism than he did anything else,” said one player.
Another said, “Josh sees a standard, and you have to meet that standard every second to win the trophy. I believe Derek saw it as constant negativity.”
All of that now leads to two questions: Who is the Raiders quarterback in 2023? And, which team will trade for Derek Carr?
One thing is certain, Derek Carr’s days as a Raider are over after nine years with the team. Interestingly, the contract extension he signed with Las Vegas in April has a no-trade clause so wherever he ends up in 2023, it will definitely be somewhere he wants to be.