BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — While Derek Carr may have relocated this offseason to Las Vegas with the Raiders, his roots remain in Bakersfield along with his family.
A family that's also rooted in football
“Football, I think of family," Sheryl Carr said.
Sheryl, also known as mom to David, Darren and Derek would know best.
“There's got to develop a passion for it and your dad kind of you know you watch Raider games and watch the real watch Howie Long and those guys," Darren said.
That worked out pretty well as Derek, the youngest brother, is the current quarterback for the Raiders. Following in his oldest brother's footsteps from Fresno State to the NFL.
"Once I saw my brother do it I was like he could do and I for sure can do it," Derek said with a smile.
While Derek competes in the league, David is currently covering it for the NFL Network while middle brother, Darren, coaches. Each putting in the time to reach success in the sport that connects them all.
"I learned that work ethic from my dad I watched it happen, and he told me he says son if you do the same thing and apply your talents to what you're good at, those God gifts that you have, you can do anything that you want," Derek said.
"We'd see him in the morning, he'd take off, we'd go to school and we'd see each other at night," Darren recalls. "And he'd be like, 'Hey, Dave, let's go throw!' and I remember, gosh, many, many times we go out at like 9:00, 9:30 p.m. to Stockdale High School, lights were on, and you go throw a ball and I just watch. Like this is what it takes and this is normal for us and watch them."
"There's nobody that works as hard as they do. And that's why they're successful because they work hard," Sheryl said.
But, of course, still having two sons reach the NFL is surreal.
"Pretty exciting, I mean, you hope and pray for them. You saw how much work they put in," Rodger said.
Never forgetting the game where it all clicked for the family that football was their destiny.
"I remember thinking, 'What is going on?'," Sheryl said.
The game was when David led his unranked Bulldogs to a win over No. 10 Oregon State in 2001.
NOT FORGETTING THE GAME WHERE IT ALL CLICKED. . . WHEN DAVID LED HIS UNRANKED BULLDOGS TO A WIN OVER NO. TEN OREGON STATE.
"I just started crying, I couldn't stop crying I was, like one of those ugly cries," Sheryl said. "They tore the goalpost down and then everything just kind of boomeranged from there, but I do remember that one day that I realized this is bigger than we imagined."
And it really could have been any sport but for 'Pops' especially, it had to be football.
"I let him play everything. And then it was just not playing baseball no more. I'm not playing basketball no I'm gonna stick with football, 'Yes!'," Rodger said.
"It just happened that I could throw a football better than all the kids older than me, you know, and same with my brother and then Darren just there and just ate everything so he has is bigger than everybody so they just put him on the D-line," Derek said.
"There's 333 million people in America, only 1700 blessed individuals get to play in the NFL. They all had the work ethic and, you know, all three of them got division one scholarships, two went to the NFL, they had him (points at Darren) going in the second or third round. But God had another plan," Rodger said.
A plan that kept him close to the game.
"It's what we were called to do. I know it's silly saying I was called to be a high school coach but it's really not it's not just coaching football it's mentoring young men and being a good example, you know," Darren said.
As head coach of the Bakersfield Christian Eagles, going on his sixth year, Darren has been able to serve his purpose and remain close to family as his Dad and David both coach alongside him.
"So, he's a defensive coordinator and head coach, David is an offensive coordinator. So it's third and eight, and they're on the 30-yard line going that way, Dave's calling another play. And he's (points at Darren) yelling punt team," Rodger said.
"It's just different, NFL, high school, college, it's all different. So you got to kind of play percentages and yardage and this and that. But it took us a good while to kind of show each other," Darren said.
This past year they all got to celebrate a state championship together. And while, Darren leads future NFL hopefuls to their dreams, Derek is still grateful to be chasing his own, staying grounded by his family.
"If football ended today for me, it worked out all right, you know, and so I'm thankful to my parents and obviously to my brothers for toughened me up and teaching me how to do it," Derek said.
Even though the family still cherishes getting to watch him on Sundays. But football or not, Sundays are just pretty important for the Carr's.
"God knows that he gave them this talent. And he also knows that it's played on Sunday. So he also must trust him enough and trust my kids enough to know that their foundation is strong," Sheryl said.
"Football is a lot to the family. But God's means even more," Rodger said.
They all get to use the game they love to share that message.
"It means everything to a lot of people, you know, we touch a lot of people through it," Darren said.
So, in other words, the Carr Method to success has been simple, faith, family, then football.
