Derek Carr had a savage explanation about why the Raiders are trading him.
The quarterback had a standout performance at the inaugural Pro Bowl Games in Las Vegas Thursday, when he recorded 31 points in the precision passing event to lead his AFC team to a 71-55 win, which gave them three points in the overall tally.
It will likely be the last throws he makes as an official member of the Raiders, with the two sides spiraling towards an inevitable divorce this offseason.
Following the event, ESPN analyst Ryan Clark asked Carr if he had ever been that hot in Las Vegas, and he replied: “Not that hot. It’s probably why I’m going somewhere else.”
Clark instantly doubled over laughing as Carr stood there smirking at Allegiant Stadium, where the games are being held through Sunday.
That came after Carr said Thursday night that he will not extend the Feb. 15 deadline to help facilitate a trade from the Raiders. Carr’s $32.9 million base salary for 2023 and $7.5 million of his 2024 base salary becomes fully guaranteed if he is still on the Raiders roster three days after Super Bowl 2023, which is on Feb. 12.
Carr, who the Raiders drafted in the second round in 2014, is under contract through 2025 after agreeing to a three-year, $121.5 million extension in April.
Trades cannot become official until the start of the new league year, on March 15, though they can be agreed to before then.
Carr stirred buzz around the Pro Bowl Games when he was put on the AFC roster as a replacement for Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. This could be the final time Carr is at the Raiders practice facility amid his fallout with the team he’s called home for the last nine years.
Last month, the quarterback penned a goodbye letter to Raider Nation, saying he’s looking forward to giving everything he has to a new city and a new team.
Carr’s relationship with the Raiders soured around the time he was benched for the final two games of the season, with Las Vegas starting Jarrett Stidham in his place. Then, Carr distanced himself from the team for the final two weeks of the regular season to avoid distractions.
Carr, who will turn 32 in March, last played in a 13-10 loss to the Steelers on Dec. 24. He was just 16-of-30 passing for 174 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions.