The Oakland Raiders have resided in the Bay Area for much of their existence. So many great moments and players have come through the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum and now the time has come for the Raiders to move on.
With just one more game at the Coliseum, Derek Carr has begun to reflect on his career and the Raiders as a franchise. Through thick and thin, Carr has been a loyal Raider no matter what.
The franchise quarterback is no stranger to this moment, as the team believed last season would be their last in Oakland. Although he had a number of sentimental moments during the Raiders home closer last season, Carr is ready to let those go and do it all over again this Sunday, via Josh Schrock of NBC Sports:
“Yeah, I think we talked about it last year, right?” Carr said on the emotions of the Coliseum finale. “We played Denver, it was like maybe, so try and soak it in and all those kinds of things. So, I guess you erase those memories and take on these ones I guess because of all of the players that have played here, this organization’s history, all of those things.
“I was here for [Charles Woodson] last game. There was some pretty cool memories that I have just of my own being on the team, but I think this one will rank right up there. I expect it to be crazy and loud and all those kinds of things, so we’re going to go out there and give our best effort. I promise you that.”
There is no doubt that Raiders fans will go all out for the final game in the Coliseum. The Raiders organization ignited a fandom that exists like no other sports team has.
Before Carr became a part of the rich Raiders history, he was one of those very fans. Carr’s father’s favorite player was Ken Stabler and passed his fandom for the team on to his son.
For Carr, he knows how special it is to go from being a fan of the game to making it to the pros:
“Just to put in perspective, like a little kid from Fresno, California is playing somewhere where his dad’s favorite football team did,” Carr said. “Like let’s be real about it, it’s pretty awesome. That was a dream come true. Every kid that I’ve ever talked to that’s on a football team, ‘Who wants to be in the NFL?’ Everyone raises their hand. How many of those kids actually get to do it, right? There is very few. It’s hard.
“It’s a hard business to do and do for a long time, and so to be able to be here and play on the same field as all of those legends played on and to actually know some of those guys, talk to those guys, call those guys friends, like that’s kind of weird, but it is a really cool thing.”
Not only is the game a big one because it’s the Oakland finale, but the Raiders also need a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars to keep their minuscule playoff hopes alive. Both Carr and Jon Gruden are aware of that, so look for them to come out with some energy on Sunday.
