The Oakland Raiders failed to provide their home crowd with something to cheer for after blowing a late lead to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 15, the final game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum before the team moves to Las Vegas.
To no surprise, the fans were not shy about expressing their distaste for what had just occurred in the 20-16 loss. They had even taken to throwing trash onto the field while showering quarterback Derek Carr with boos.
It was hardly an ideal ending to the team’s second stint in Oakland, but Carr still made it a point to try and show his appreciation for the fans by going over to the Black Hole after the game.
Carr admits that he was not shocked by the hostility after the disappointing loss, via Scott Bair of NBC Sports/a>:
“Oh gosh, what’s new with our crowd?” Carr said with a smile. “Trust me, it’s not under my skin, it’s nothing new.”
Carr added that he felt it was important to acknowledge all the memories he created with the fans and say thank you one last time:
“I just wanted to say thanks,” Carr said. “Whenever I’m done playing football, they can get mad at somebody else someday that’s the quarterback, you know what I mean? There have been too many good times, too many fun memories I’ve had with especially those certain people, where it’s our last time there.
“It’s such a cool moment, to say ‘Thank you,’ to some of those guys, familiar faces. Memories of throwing a ball and breaking Gorilla Rilla’s chain and signing it the next week. So many memories with all those people, so I had told them I was going to say hi to them after the game no matter what.”
It is safe to say that Carr has become a bit calloused when it comes to the negative elements of playing for such a passionate fan base. His willingness to go over to the Black Hole after such a rough game shows how important it was for him to try and end things on a high note.
Of course, Carr is accustomed to dealing with such hostility as one of the longest-tenured players remaining on the Raiders. He has certainly experienced his fair share of highs and lows that come with playing for one of the biggest brands in the NFL.
Although there will continue to be speculation about Carr’s future as the quarterback, there is no denying that he has upheld the position in the most ideal fashion a front office could ask for.
