Former Las Vegas Raiders and New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr surprised a lot of people when he retired from the NFL following the 2024 season.
Despite speculation he could come out of retirement last season to join a few QB-needy teams, Carr stayed away from the field until this week.
The UCLA football team announced on Monday that it had hired Carr, a four-time Pro Bowler and former NCAA passing yards leader and touchdowns leader, as a special advisor to new head coach Bob Chesney.
“I’ve known (UCLA general manager) Darrick (Yray) for a long time and have great respect for the work he’s done throughout his career,” Carr said in a release. “The opportunity to help coach Chesney, the staff and the quarterbacks at UCLA was one that really excited me. I’m looking forward to sharing my experiences and helping support the program in any way I can.”
According to the school, Carr will assist the Bruins with “game-planning strategy while also working with UCLA’s quarterbacks.”
During his 11-year NFL career, Carr totaled 41,245 yards, 257 touchdowns, and 112 interceptions with a 92.8 passer rating. As impressive as he was in the pros, Carr put up even more gaudy numbers in college.
In four seasons with Fresno State (he started three of those years), Carr logged 12,843 yards passing, 113 touchdowns, and 24 interceptions.
He led the Bulldogs to a 20-6 record in his final two seasons, and he threw for an eye-popping 5,083 yards, 50 touchdowns, and eight interceptions in his final year. Carr was a two-time Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year and won the 2013 Sammy Baugh Trophy, given annually to the nation’s top passer.
