Mark Davis takes responsibility for Raiders' shortcomings, apologizes to Derek Carr
March 28, 2023
Hunter Macias
Raiders owner Mark Davis apologizes to former quarterback Derek Carr and takes responsibility for the team's shortcomings in this candid interview with The Athletic.
Las Vegas Raiders
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Mark Davis takes responsibility for Raiders' shortcomings, apologizes to Derek Carr
In a candid interview with The Athletic on Monday, Raiders owner Mark Davis took full responsibility for the team's shortcomings in recent years and apologized to former quarterback Derek Carr for not being able to "get it done."
"As I told Derek, the only consistent thing with the Raiders for the last 11 years has been me. And the fact that we haven’t won falls on me. There’s no passing the buck or pointing the fingers: The buck stops here. And I apologized to him for not being able to get it done," Davis said.
The Raiders have been in a cycle of rebuilding and losing for most of Davis' ownership, and he acknowledged that he's not a hands-on owner like his late father Al Davis was. However, he has given general manager Dave Ziegler and coach Josh McDaniels free rein to reconstruct the roster in their image, a process that will take multiple offseasons to accomplish and requires patience from the owner. Davis also addressed the decision to move on from Carr, who had been with the franchise for nine seasons.
"It was McDaniels’ 'prerogative' to 'move on and make a change' from Carr, which the franchise ultimately decided to do in February," Davis said.
During his final season with the Raiders, Carr threw for 3,522 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. Despite his departure, Carr remains a popular figure among Raiders fans and his former teammates.
In a recent interview with ESPN, Raiders defensive lineman Maxx Crosby praised Carr as a leader and teammate.
"Derek Carr, man, he's a stud. He's a warrior. I respect him so much. He's been through a lot with this organization," Crosby said.
The Raiders have since signed former 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to a three-year deal worth up to $72.5 million. However, McDaniels has not ruled out the possibility of drafting a quarterback high in the upcoming NFL draft.
The Raiders' rebuild under Ziegler and McDaniels is still in its early stages, but Davis has taken the first step by accepting responsibility for the team's shortcomings and apologizing to Carr for not being able to "get it done." Only time will tell if the franchise's new leadership can finally bring a winning culture back to Las Vegas.