Former Raiders Superstar Quarterback Picks Oakland Fans Over Las Vegas

So far in his newfound retirement, former Las Vegas Raiders superstar quarterback Derek Carr has spent a lot of time creating content to connect with the fans who supported him during his playing career. 

On his new YouTube channel Home Grown Network, which Carr runs with his brother and fellow former NFL QB David, Derek has released several videos reflecting on his time as a football player. 

His most recent video was called “Derek Carr Ranks the NFL’s Toughest Stadiums”. Carr’s answer delighted Raiders fans, because it wasn’t traditionally famous environments like Kansas City or Seattle. 

His answer was the Oakland Coliseum. 

“You played on literally cement half the year, and the crowd was the best crowd in all of the world,” Carr said. “And it was the Oakland Coliseum.”  

“We would even have some of our struggling years, good teams would come in, and we’d beat ’em. And it was because of the atmosphere in the Coliseum and the fans right there in Oakland.”

Carr’s answer was notable especially because he picked Oakland over the Las Vegas fanbase at Allegiant Stadium, where he played for three years, and the New Orleans Saints fanbase at Caesars Superdome. 

The Sports World Misses Oakland Fans 

Oakland, California, has famously and tragically lost all of its sports teams in recent years. 

The Raiders bolted for Las Vegas, the Golden State Warriors moved across the bridge to San Francisco, and just this season, the Athletics left Oakland for Sacramento on their way to Las Vegas eventually. 

Each franchise has departed to shining new stadiums. But what they gained in luxury, they seem to have lost in spirit. 

Fans and players alike take to social media all the time to talk about how they miss Oakland fans and Oakland venues. 

Kevon Looney, who just departed Golden State for the New Orleans Pelicans in free agency, recently shared that he preferred playing in Oracle Arena over Chase Center. 

But alas, all of those teams and venues will remain a memory for the foreseeable future. 

Tim Kawakami reported that the WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries could end up playing home playoff games at Oracle Arena because of booking conflicts at Chase Center. That would be an exciting moment for Oakland fans, getting a sports team back, even if just for a night or two. 

What Were Carr’s Other Toughest Places to Play? 

Second on Carr’s list of toughest places to play was Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, known as one of the loudest stadiums in sports. 

In third place was Lumen Field in Seattle, known for the 12th man fan culture and also for being very loud. 

In fourth place, Carr’s pick was an underrated spot: U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

Finally, in fifth place, Carr gave a shoutout to the Superdome, where he played his final two seasons with New Orleans. 

Las Vegas was nowhere to be found on the list. 

What do you think of that, Raiders fans? Do you miss the Raiders being in Oakland? Do you think Las Vegas can ever match or exceed the culture of Oakland?