Eleven-year NFL veteran quarterback Derek Carr is joining UCLA’s football program as a special advisor to coach Bob Chesney, the school announced Monday afternoon.
Carr spent nine seasons with the then-Oakland and current Las Vegas Raiders and last played in the NFL in 2024 for the New Orleans Saints. He passed for 41,425 yards and 257 touchdowns during his career. The four-time Pro Bowler announced his retirement in June 2025 after dealing with a significant shoulder injury.
He is slated to work with UCLA’s quarterbacks and help Chesney and the Bruins’ offensive staff with game planning. UCLA returns standout quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who was ranked 25th in The Athletic’s 2026 College Football Quarterback Tiers.
“We are excited to welcome Derek to our program,” Chesney said in the school’s press release. “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. What stands out most is his passion for the game and his commitment to developing young people. Derek will have a tremendous impact on our players and is a great addition to our program.”
It’s Chesney’s first season as the Bruins’ head coach. UCLA hired him this past winter after he led James Madison to a Sun Belt championship and the College Football Playoff.
Shortly after taking the job, Chesney hired Darrick Yray as his general manager. Yray spent the previous four seasons at Florida State but began his career at Fresno State in 2008.
Yray overlapped with Carr in Fresno. Carr was the Bulldogs’ starting quarterback from 2011 through 2013 and led them to a Mountain West title in ‘13.
Now they’re together again at UCLA, which opens the season on the road against Cal on Sept. 5, which figures to be one of Week 1’s more entertaining games.
