One of the biggest talking points surrounding Jon Gruden since he returned to the Las Vegas Raiders has been his relationship with Derek Carr. There have been claims that the two don’t get along but they always play nice in front of the cameras. It was easy to buy into the idea that there was tension between them when the Raiders were playing very poorly but the team has shown improvement in each year under the coach.
The idea that the two don’t get along now feels like a distant memory. Carr and Gruden are in their fourth year together and the Raiders offense is rolling. That wouldn’t be the case if the two didn’t like each other. In fact, the whole notion may have been overblown from the beginning. Carr says that the first thing Gruden told him when he was hired by the team is that he better not get injured.
“You’re not allowed to get hurt. He said, ‘you get hurt, I’m going back to Florida,'” Carr said Wednesday.
Gruden had a really cushy job at ESPN which is a lot less stressful than being the head coach of an iconic NFL team like the Raiders. He obviously doesn’t want to start over at quarterback anytime soon. At this point, there’s reason to believe that there is any tension whatsoever between the two.
ALL the latest Raiders news straight to your inbox! Subscribe to the Heavy on Raiders newsletter here!
Carr Will Be Play vs. Dolphins
GettyLas Vegas Raiders QB Derek Carr.
Gruden was about ready to schedule a flight to Florida on Sunday when Carr had a serious injury scare. In the third quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the quarterback got hit low by a pass rusher and fell to the ground in pain. It initially looked really bad but Carr was able to walk off the field on his own power and was back in on the next drive.
He looked fine after that but Gruden said that the quarterback would be questionable for Week 3 on Monday. It appears that’s no longer the case.
“He’s good to go,” Gruden said of Carr on Wednesday.
There wasn’t serious concern that Carr wouldn’t play against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday but it should be a relief for fans that he’s officially planning to play.
Carr in MVP Hunt?
It seems like a distant memory now but there was one point when Carr was considered an MVP candidate. In 2016, he finished third in MVP voting and could’ve won had he not gotten injured before the season’s end. Five seasons later and Carr may finally be finding himself in the race once again.
He currently leads the NFL in passing yards with 817.
Derek Carr has the most passing yards in a 2-game span in Raiders franchise history (817).
Is he the early favorite for MVP?
With the hot start, many in the media are pegging him as an early MVP favorite.
My 2-week MVP ballot:
1. Derek Carr
2. Tom Brady
3. Kyler Murray
Yours?
Considering the Raiders’ injuries on the offensive line and at running back, Carr should be in the MVP race. He’s led the team to two wins to start the season and has been playing at a high level. If he can get the Raiders back into the playoffs, he should be one of the top MVP candidates as the season wraps up.
READ NEXT: Raiders Create Cap Space With Contract Decision: 3 Free Agents to Watch
Comments
Jon Gruden Threatened to Quit Football if Derek Carr Got Injured