Is CJ Carr related to Derek Carr? Explaining the connection between Notre Dame QB and ex-NFL star originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
C.J. Carr is the latest of a legacy of Notre Dame quarterbacks whose names include modern record-setters like Brady Quinn, Ian Book, and the recently departed Riley Leonard. As the grandson of legendary Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, the pressure to deliver results in South Bend was immense even before he took a single snap, but Carr has fully embraced the challenge.
Carr is one of the few prized quarterback recruits in the modern era to skip the transfer portal entirely, instead staying committed to the Fighting Irish and developing through the system. Now, having successfully won the starting job as a redshirt freshman in the 2025 season, the spotlight shines squarely on Carr as he attempts to turn the Irish from perennial contenders into legitimate national title threats.
With his family’s championship pedigree and the backing of Coach Marcus Freeman, Carr has taken on the mantle from the veteran transfers who preceded him. The familiarity of his surname often sparks a logical question for fans of the game: is C.J. Carr related to veteran NFL quarterbacks Derek and David Carr?
While he already carries the weight of his grandfather’s legendary status a man who led Michigan to a national titlehe simultaneously navigates the public’s assumption that he is part of the established NFL Carr brotherhood. C.J. Carr’s challenge is not just to succeed at Notre Dame, but to forge a legacy entirely his own, separating the Irish lineage from the NFL lineage and making the ‘C.J. Carr’ name synonymous with victory in South Bend.
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No, C.J. and Derek Carr are not related.
C.J. Carr is the grandson of the legendary former Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr, who led the Wolverines to a national championship in 1997. C.J. is from Saline, Michigan, continuing a long family tradition tied to the Midwest.
On the other hand, Derek is from Bakersfield, Calif. Both him and his brother, David, played football at Fresno State.
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The Notre Dame signal caller is 20 years old.
In the 2025 season, the quarterback is listed as a redshirt freshman. Carr was a consensus four-star recruit and committed to Notre Dame ahead of the 2024 season. He was on the roster for the team’s national championship run, making his debut against Purdue on Sept. 15. But, he did not see any more game action during the season.
In his first year as a starter, Carr was named a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien Award, which is given annually to the nation’s best quarterback.
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Derek Carr is 34 years old.
After playing at Fresno State, Carr played 11 seasons in the NFL before retiring in May 2025. Carr started for the Oakland and Las Vegas Raiders (2014-2022) for nine seasons and the New Orleans Saints for two (2023-24).
Carr is the Raiders’ all-time franchise leader in nearly every major passing category, including passing yards (over 35,000) and passing touchdowns (over 217). His peak with the franchise came in the 2016 season, when he led the Raiders to a 12-3 record and their first playoff berth since 2002 before a devastating leg injury forced him out just before the postseason began.
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