Derek Carr is beginning the next chapter of his football career, and this time he will be standing on the sideline instead of taking the snap.
The former NFL quarterback is joining the UCLA Bruins football program as a volunteer special advisor to head coach Bob Chesney, the school announced Monday. Carr will work with UCLA’s quarterbacks and assist Chesney and the offensive staff with game-planning strategy.
For Carr, the move represents a return to football in a new role after more than a decade as an NFL quarterback.
It also gives UCLA a veteran quarterback with years of experience reading defenses, preparing for opponents and leading an NFL offense.
From NFL Quarterback to College Mentor
Carr spent 12 seasons in the NFL after being selected by the Oakland Raiders in the 2014 NFL Draft.
He quickly established himself as the Raiders’ franchise quarterback and became one of the most productive passers in team history. Carr earned four Pro Bowl selections during his career and spent nine seasons with the Raiders before joining the New Orleans Saints.
His final NFL seasons were affected by injuries, and Carr eventually stepped away from playing.
Earlier this year, however, Carr left the door open to a possible return to the NFL under the right circumstances. He said he would consider coming back if he were healthy and had a legitimate opportunity to compete for a Super Bowl.
That opportunity never materialized.
Instead, Carr has chosen a different way to remain involved in the game.
A New Opportunity at UCLA
Carr’s arrival comes at an important time for UCLA.
The Bruins are entering the 2026 season under first-year head coach Bob Chesney, who took over the program after a successful run at James Madison. Chesney has spent the offseason building his first coaching staff and establishing a new culture in Westwood.
Adding Carr gives that staff another experienced football mind.
His responsibilities will include working with UCLA’s quarterbacks and helping with offensive game planning. That means the Bruins’ quarterbacks will have the opportunity to learn directly from someone who spent years studying NFL defenses and playing the position at the highest level.
Carr’s role could be especially valuable for young quarterbacks who are learning how to prepare for opponents, recognize defensive looks and make decisions before and after the snap.
Why Carr Makes Sense for the Bruins
The transition from playing quarterback to coaching is not always easy.
Playing the position requires an individual to process an enormous amount of information while executing the game plan. Coaching requires taking that knowledge and teaching it to someone else.
Carr now gets the opportunity to do exactly that.
Throughout his NFL career, Carr was known for his preparation and leadership. He started 163 regular-season games and threw for more than 41,000 yards, giving him an extensive collection of experiences that he can now pass along to younger players.
His career also exposed him to a variety of offensive systems and coaches.
That experience can give UCLA’s quarterbacks another perspective as they prepare for the college season.
Carr’s NFL Career
Carr entered the NFL with enormous expectations after a standout career at Fresno State.
The Raiders selected him in 2014, and he became their starting quarterback.
He quickly developed into one of the league’s better young quarterbacks.
His breakout season came in 2016, when Carr helped lead Oakland to a 12-4 record and its first playoff appearance since 2002. He threw for 3,937 yards and 28 touchdowns that season and earned his first Pro Bowl selection.
Carr went on to make the Pro Bowl three more times, earning selections in 2017, 2018 and 2022.
He left the Raiders as the franchise’s all time leader in passing yards and passing touchdowns.
Carr then joined the Saints in 2023, where he spent the final portion of his playing career.
Although his NFL career did not include a Super Bowl appearance, Carr established himself as a durable and accomplished quarterback who spent more than a decade as a starter.
Now he gets an opportunity to use that experience in a different way.
A Chance to Influence the Next Generation
For UCLA, Carr’s hiring is about more than simply adding a famous name to the staff.
The Bruins are hoping his experience can help accelerate the development of their quarterbacks and offense.
Carr has spent years dealing with the same situations college quarterbacks are still learning to understand identifying coverages, managing the clock, handling pressure, preparing during the week and recovering from mistakes.
Those lessons cannot always be taught from a textbook.
They come from experience.
And Carr has plenty of it.
His presence also gives UCLA another connection to the NFL as the program attempts to build a stronger football culture under Chesney.
The Beginning of a Coaching Career?
The biggest question now is whether this is simply a one time opportunity for Carr to remain around the game or the beginning of a long-term coaching career.
For now, Carr is taking his first step.
He is not being introduced as UCLA’s offensive coordinator or quarterbacks coach. Instead, his role is that of a special advisor, allowing him to work closely with Chesney and the offensive staff while gaining his first significant experience on a college coaching staff.
But if Carr discovers that coaching is something he wants to pursue, UCLA could become the starting point.
Many former quarterbacks eventually move into coaching because the position naturally requires them to understand the entire offense.
Carr now has the chance to find out whether he can translate that understanding into teaching.
A Different Kind of Comeback
Carr’s UCLA move is not the NFL comeback that was discussed earlier this year.
It’s something different.
Rather than trying to extend his playing career, Carr is beginning to build what could become his second football career.
He spent years taking instructions from coaches.
Now, he’ll be helping deliver those instructions to the next generation.
For UCLA, the timing could not be better.
For Carr, it represents another opportunity to stay close to the game he has spent most of his life playing.
And while nobody knows yet where his coaching career will ultimately take him, one thing is clear:
Derek Carr isn’t walking away from football. He’s simply moving to the other side of the sideline.
