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After leading the Raiders for nine seasons, Derek Carr faced a harsh reality when he was relegated to the sidelines for the final two games of the 2022 campaign. He never got a chance to play for them again, as the Raiders officially released him shortly after. Within a month, he found a new home with the Saints, but he still harbors some disappointment with how things turned out with his former team.

In a no-holds-barred conversation with Anthony Galaviz of ‘The Fresno Bee’, Derek Carr vented his rage and resentment at the Raiders. Derek felt really upset by the Raiders that he slammed the door on any possibility of going back to them. He openly said that he has no interest in rejoining the team that hurt him so deeply involving his wife.

Derek Carr: Sidelined, but not defeated

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After dedicating nine years of his life to the Raiders, during which he shattered records and consistently performed at a top-notch level, he was sidelined by something out of his control. Derek’s only wish was to suit up for two more games and give his all for the loyal fans who cheered him on, but he never got that opportunity. Money and injuries meant nothing to him.

via Imago

“You spend nine years in a place, you have all the records and you can play at a high level, and for something to get in the way, whether it was whatever reason, money related or whatever, injury-related, I would have said I don’t even want the money, just to play two more times in front of our fans. I didn’t get that opportunity. So, it definitely lit a fire inside me to keep going,” Derek Carr said, as per ‘The Fresno Bee’.

READ MORE – Amidst Transition, $150 Million Derek Carr Thanks This NFL Legend for Saints Deal

Such emotional words from Derek. Now, he uses that frustration as motivation to keep moving forward, “The thing that matters to me the most is the Saints win.” Carr loves his Saints friends but won’t name them further to hurt anyone in any way. Derek Carr always plays hard for them to win & wishes them success and happiness, but he roots for the Saints now.

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Derek’s wife’s tears ended his loyalty

In the interview, when asked if Derek would ever go back to the Raiders if they wanted him, he gave a resounding “no”. He explained that his former team had made his wife cry, and that was the last straw for him, “Once they made my wife cry, that was pretty much over,”, Derek Carr said. “Once they made her cry, that was out. Although Derek mentions, he loved his teammates, he couldn’t stay with a team that treated him so poorly.

via Imago

Carr had always been loyal to the Raiders and their fans, but his wife’s [Heather Neel] happiness came first, indeed. However, Derek didn’t open the reasons but might be his wife cried over his benching, release, and relocation. Now, the world knows, he left the Raiders for the Saints, signing a $150 million contract for four years.

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