Derek Carr (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
NFL fans noticed something interesting about Derek Carr and New Orleans Saints fans while he was signing autographs for them.
Derek Carr is entering the second season of a lucrative four-year, $150 million contract he signed with New Orleans in 2023 free agency following his release from the Las Vegas Raiders.
Carr was a source of frustration for New Orleans fans in 2023 because of his inconsistent play. His habit of screaming at teammates on television during games didn’t win Carr many points, either.
Still, one would think that the average NFL fan would take the opportunity to get a free autograph from Derek Carr while he’s taking the time to interact, right? This is a Pro Bowl signal-caller who just might bounce back and lead your team to the postseason, after all.
But fans on X/Twitter noticed an interesting interaction between Carr and mostly unenthused Saints fans, who showed little to no interest in receiving autographs from the veteran quarterback:
this needs to be in a museum. pic.twitter.com/1vz4scuoSN
— Boppa 🧟♂️ (@ihatebbls) August 23, 2024
Saints fans want nothing to do with Derek Carr 💀 pic.twitter.com/YVpxhg7mOr
— NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) August 27, 2024
All we can say here is that Carr can win the support of the many critical New Orleans fans if he can rebound from an up-and-down 2023 season.
Derek Carr to Alvin Kamara on a quick screen in team drills. AK gets in for the TD. @wdsu pic.twitter.com/6O80Bbgjmc
— Sharief Ishaq (@ShariefWDSU) August 23, 2024
Last season, Derek Carr completed 68.4 percent of pass attempts for 3,878 yards and 25 touchdowns against eight interceptions. His performance improved over the final four games, with Carr tossing 12 touchdowns against just a single interception.
The Saints finished 9-8 but lost the NFC South via tiebreaker to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 2023 marked the first time since 2014-16 that the Saints missed the playoffs three years in a row.
2024 Is A Make-Or-Break Year For Derek Carr
Carr’s performance in 2024 will most certainly determine his long-term future in New Orleans. Rookie Spencer Rattler looked excellent in preseason and may be thrust into the QB1 role if Carr struggles with consistency again.
But if Carr can regain his Pro Bowl-like form we saw with the Raiders for nearly a decade, he’ll silence the critics and assure himself the starting job beyond 2024.
