A QB’s career doesn’t always end with a parade and a Super Bowl. Sometimes, it just… ends. With a quiet social media post and a lingering shoulder injury, specifically a labral tear and some degenerative changes, a high-level return is too uncertain. Such was the case for Derek Carr, the longtime face of the Raiders, who announced his retirement back in May after an 11-season, 169-regular-season-games career. Then, in a twist, his former HC, Jon Gruden, popped up a few months later with a different narrative entirely. This is the rub with the Gruden-Carr saga. 

On the Home Grown podcast, hosted by none other than Carr and his brother, David, the former HC was asked point-blank about his terms for a potential comeback. “It would just take an opportunity,” Gruden said on Thursday, his voice as familiar as a Monday night broadcast. He explained that he’s always “preparing myself in case opportunity knocks.” That, on its own, is a fairly standard answer. “If I do get that opportunity, I will be out there in Fresno looking for you, Derek.”

Gruden continued, before adding, “I want to see if you can get off the spot and still make some of those awkward delivery throws in tight windows. That’s what I’m looking for.”

The thing is, Gruden and Carr, as a coaching-player duo, barely scraped by. During Gruden’s second stint with the Raiders, they were a sub-.500 club with a 22-31 record, failing to reach the postseason. Their lone winning campaign came in 2021, and that was after Gruden had already been forced to resign, leaving Rich Bisaccia to coach the team to a 10-7 finish and a Wild Card spot. This is the team Gruden supposedly had on the “right trajectory.” Yet, it was a team that, under his full-season tenure, never won more than eight games.

So, what are we to make of this?

A past Gruden can’t quit

A coach with a record that stings a little, his second-stint Raiders had a .415 win percentage, for what it’s worth, is pining to reunite with a QB who just retired. A QB he once chose over Tom Brady.

It’s worth noting Gruden’s public side of things, too. After Carr’s retirement announcement, Gruden posted a heartfelt message on X, saying, “Congratulations on a great career. You showcased incredible mental toughness and preparation for over a decade. I love you and enjoyed our time. Keep shredding!” 

It has been widely reported, and recently confirmed by Raiders owner Mark Davis, that Gruden famously passed on bringing in Tom Brady following his departure from New England. Brady, of course, went on to sign with the Bucs, win his 7th SB, and solidify his legacy in the NFL’s history books.

Meanwhile, Gruden and Carr were left with a legacy of minimal success, despite Carr’s impressive individual numbers. He retired with 41,245 career yds and 257 TDs, a completion rate of 65.1%, and a passer rating of 92.8 after his wife constantly asked him to..

In the postseason, the story was even more brutal: a single playoff game, a 0–1 record. He’s a 4-time Pro Bowler and the all-time Raiders leader in passing yards and TDs, but his overall record as a starter sits at a frustrating 77–92. Gruden’s decision and Carr’s subsequent performance cemented their place in Raider Nation lore, a saga defined by near misses, awkward throws, and the shadow of the greatest QB ever. So much so that we got Gruden’s wife appreciating another Bucs star.

What’s a man to do when the past won’t let go? Gruden still believes in the player he chose.