UCLA Football Hires Former NFL Quarterback Derek Carr as Special Advisor

Former NFL quarterback Derek Carr has a new job in football. UCLA announced on Monday, Aug. 10, that Carr will join the Bruins as a special advisor to head coach Bob Chesney. In this role, Carr will help the coaching staff plan for games and work directly with UCLA's quarterbacks. It is his first football job since he retired from the NFL in May 2025.

Carr spent 11 seasons playing in the NFL with the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders and the New Orleans Saints. During his nine years with the Raiders, he set team records for passing yards, passing touchdowns, and completions. Those records make him the greatest passer in Raiders history. He later signed a four-year, $150 million contract with the Saints in 2023 and is technically still under contract with them for one more season.

Before his NFL career, Carr played college football at Fresno State. He was one of the best quarterbacks in the country while playing for the Bulldogs. In his final college season in 2013, he threw for 5,083 passing yards and 50 touchdowns, both among the best numbers in the nation that year. He finished his college career with 12,842 passing yards and 113 touchdowns before being picked in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft.

UCLA head coach Bob Chesney spoke highly of Carr when announcing the hire. 'He has played the quarterback position at a high level for more than a decade, and his experience, leadership and football knowledge will be an incredible resource for our coaching staff and student-athletes,' Chesney said. He also pointed to Carr's love of the game and his desire to help young players grow. Chesney believes Carr will make a big difference for the program.

Carr also has a connection to UCLA's general manager, Darrick Yray. Yray worked as an offensive assistant at Fresno State from 2008 to 2014, which overlapped with Carr's time as a Bulldog. Carr said he has known Yray for a long time and has great respect for him. That relationship helped make the UCLA opportunity feel like a natural fit for Carr.

Carr retired from playing due to a right shoulder injury. Earlier this year, he talked on his podcast called 'Home Grown' about the idea of returning to play. He said he would consider it, but only if his health allowed and if a team was competing for a Super Bowl. He even mentioned turning down a few teams before deciding to take the advisor role at UCLA instead.

The UCLA quarterback room is already in good shape heading into the season. Nico Iamaleava is the team's starting quarterback and is entering his second year at UCLA. Last season, he threw for 1,928 yards and 13 touchdowns in 11 games. He also rushed for 505 yards and four touchdowns, showing he can make plays with both his arm and his legs. With Carr now in his corner, Iamaleava and the rest of UCLA's quarterbacks have a valuable new resource to learn from.