While Derek Carr’s playing career is over, the former quarterback’s career as a football analyst is off to a great start.
Carr was in the studio (along with Brandon Marshall and fellow recent retiree Tyrann Mathieu) for YouTube’s broadcast of Friday night’s game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers. Before the game, Carr was called upon to analyze film of Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert.
He did just that, mixing in some impressions of his former coach, Jon Gruden, in the process.
Here’s Derek Carr breaking down film — and mixing in a Jon Gruden impression — on the Chiefs-Chargers pregame show for YouTube. ๐๐๏ธ #NFL pic.twitter.com/4LCbw8JjDC
โ Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 5, 2025
Whether it was his way of breaking down the film, his impression of Gruden or some combination of the two, Carr felt like a natural. The early feedback on his work was almost universally positive.
We need more Derek Carr and @peteroverzet on TV. https://t.co/XeSTS6uZY3
โ Hayden Winks (@HaydenWinks) September 6, 2025
Derek Carrโs whole voice/demeanour changing into Gruden when he gets near film is amazing. He was excellent on the pre game show. Put him in a booth https://t.co/4GNFODroLD
โ Ollie Connolly (@OllieConnolly) September 6, 2025
.@derekcarrqb is a TV star in the making. Played recently which helps too. @Mathieu_Era also excellent on this @YouTube broadcast. Nice to see/hear new #NFL analysts. https://t.co/SbxBSh8AwT
โ SportsBusinessRadio (@SBRadio) September 5, 2025
DC was A+ on the pregame show https://t.co/sMIGJRtc2l
โ Chris Brockman๐๏ธ (@chrisbrockman) September 6, 2025
More Derek Carr! Less everyone else. This is great. https://t.co/OyPK2d3dGg
โ Beware Phog (@bewarephog) September 6, 2025
Derek Carr was awesome with this breakdown with a little Jon Gruden mixed in here.
Very good for TV. https://t.co/lIZQs5sNSm
โ Moe Moton (@MoeMoton) September 6, 2025
Derek Carr has a future as an analyst. He was excellent tonight. https://t.co/cIhOX7Ou0Y
โ Matt Infante (@MattInfante) September 6, 2025
Iโm annoyed by how good Derek Carr is at this. https://t.co/OL6hQBxIU1
โ Brandon Kiley (@BKSportsTalk) September 6, 2025
Sometimes, it takes a while for recent retirees to feel comfortable on television. For Carr, though, it doesn’t seem to be an issue. And if he continues to produce well-received analysis, chances are good that we’ll see more from him and in higher-profile roles in the not-too-distant future.

About Michael Dixon
About Michael:
-- Writer/editor for thecomeback.com and awfulannouncing.com.
-- Bay Area born and raised, currently living in the Indianapolis area.
-- Twitter:
@mfdixon1985 (personal).
@michaeldixonsports (work).
-- Email: mdixon@thecomeback.com
Send tips, corrections, comments and (respectful) disagreements to that email. Do the same with pizza recommendations, taco recommendations and Seinfeld quotes.
Recent Posts
USA-Mexico on Fox delivers most-watched World Baseball Classic game ever
The USA-Mexico WBC game averaged 5,018,000 viewers across Fox and Fox Deportes.
Fox’s Rob Gronkowski ready to ‘whoop [Logan Paul’s] ass’ during flag football game
"I will fight him on the field if he wants to fight me."
Michael Kay: ‘It sucks’ that Netflix is taking Yankees’ opener from YES Network
"I guess if Iโm Netflix, I'd want the Yankees and the Giants, too, but I know that all of us at YES would rather have it."
Local columnist accuses Adrian Wojnarowski of planting misleading narrative about St. Bonaventure coachโs firing
"(Woj's) fingerprints were all over the leak of Markโs firing to ESPN."
Candace Parker wants to see more ‘critique’ in women’s basketball discussions
"I think for so long, women in sports that are covering it in media have had to uplift the game and sell it in so many ways."
Jamie Erdahl addresses absence from NFL Network’s ‘Good Morning Football’
"I want to thank my leaders at the NFL for allowing me this time at home."