He played college football for the Fresno State Bulldogs, where he twice received first-team All-Mountain West Conference honors, and was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft.

A four-time Pro Bowler, Carr helped the Raiders reach the playoffs during the 2016 season, the franchise's first appearance since 2002, as well as another postseason berth in 2021.

[1] He and his family lived in Bakersfield before relocating to Sugar Land, Texas, in 2002 when his oldest brother, David Carr, became the first overall draft pick of the then-expansion Houston Texans.

On October 29, 2008, Carr was selected by ESPN RISE as the National Football Player of the Week after passing for 441 yards and three touchdowns in a game against Tehachapi High School five days earlier.

[8] Carr would eventually set a Central Section record by throwing 544 yards in a win against Arvin High School on November 7, 2008.

[38] Following a win over Cal Poly in the next game, Carr passed for 460 yards and four touchdowns in a victory over Boise State to move the Bulldogs to a 3–0 mark.

[48] On November 29, Carr passed for 519 yards, six touchdowns, and one interceptions as the Bulldogs dropped their first game, a 62–52 shootout, to San Jose State.

[51] He finished his collegiate career with 217 passing yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in a 45–20 loss to USC in the Las Vegas Bowl.

[55] He won the Sammy Baugh Trophy, which is awarded annually by the Touchdown Club of Columbus to the nation's top collegiate passer.

[68] In the fifth start of his career, on October 12, facing the division-rival San Diego Chargers, Carr made history by setting a new Raiders franchise record for the most passing touchdowns in a single regular-season game by a rookie, with four.

[70] On November 20, Carr won his first NFL game by leading the previously winless Raiders to a 24–20 upset win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday Night Football.

[75] On September 13, during the Raiders' season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals, Carr exited the game early with an injury to his throwing hand.

[84] Carr started the 2016 season off strong with 319 passing yards, a touchdown, and a late go-ahead two-point conversion in a 35–34 victory over the New Orleans Saints.

[85] During Week 8 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carr finished with 513 passing yards, a franchise record, and four touchdowns as the Raiders won 30–24 in overtime.

[87] In a Week 9 game against the defending Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos, Carr led the Raiders to a 30–20 victory on Sunday Night Football to take sole possession of first place in the AFC West.

[89] He surpassed 10,000 career passing yards and helped the Raiders take back sole possession of the division lead from the Chiefs.

[92] On Christmas Eve, in Week 16, Carr left the Raiders' eventual 33–25 win against the Indianapolis Colts in the fourth quarter with a leg injury.

Head coach Jack Del Rio announced after the game that Carr suffered a fibula fracture from a sack by linebacker Trent Cole and that he would be out "indefinitely."

This deal surpassed Colts quarterback Andrew Luck's contract as the league's highest paid player in terms of average money per year.

[101] The Raiders won 31–30 on a game-winning two-yard pass from Carr to wide receiver Michael Crabtree on an untimed down that resulted from a defensive holding penalty on the previous play as time expired.

[103] On New Year's Eve, in the regular season finale against the Los Angeles Chargers, he threw a career-long 87-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Amari Cooper in the 30–10 loss.

Despite the loss, Carr surpassed Hall of Famer Ken Stabler for the Raiders' franchise all-time record for passing yards.

[124] On October 5, Carr, along with tight ends Darren Waller and Jason Witten, and seven other Raiders players, received a $15,000 fine for violating the NFL's COVID-19 protocol.

[126] In Week 11 against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday Night Football, Carr threw for 275 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception during the 35–31 loss.

[142] On April 12, 2022, Carr signed a three-year, $121.5 million contract extension with the Las Vegas Raiders, including a no-trade clause.

[147] After completing just 53.3% of his passes and throwing three interceptions in a 13–10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 16, Carr was benched in favor of Jarrett Stidham for the remainder of the season.

[154] On March 6, 2023, Carr signed with the Saints on a four-year contract worth $150 million, reuniting him with former 2014 Raiders head coach Dennis Allen.

[161] On the road against the Cowboys in Week 2, Carr completed 11-of-16 passes for 243 yards and led the Saints' offense to touchdowns in their first six drives of the game as they won 44–19.

[162] In Week 5 against the Chiefs on Monday Night Football, Carr was pressured on over half of his dropbacks and ended up leaving the game midway through the fourth quarter with an oblique injury as the Saints lost 26–13.

[165] In Week 14 against the New York Giants, Carr fractured his hand and suffered a concussion when trying to leap for a first down, ending his sophomore Saints Campaign.