LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Jarrett Stidham has talked with Derek Carr, and the new quarterback of the Raiders said his predecessor had a bit of advice.
Carr’s message to him was pretty much to “stay even,” Stidham said Thursday in his first meeting with the media since being named starter.
“I’ll keep most of it private between me and him,” Stidham said, “but the biggest thing,
and this is what I always appreciated a lot about Derek, was to always stay even. Never get too high and never get too low.
“Football is an imperfect sport, and you try to do obviously the best you can,
you prepare hard each and every week, but to always just stay even.”
Coach Josh McDaniels on Wednesday announced that Carr, the Raiders starter since his rookie season in 2014, would be replaced by Stidham for the team’s final two games.
With the Raiders a longshot for the postseason and Carr’s recent performances lacking, McDaniels turned to Stidham, originally drafted by the New England Patriots in 2019 and who played there when McDaniels ran the offense.
Stidham, who has played in 11 NFL games with the Patriots and Raiders, called his start Sunday at Allegiant Stadium against the San Francisco 49ers “a great challenge.”
San Francisco (11-4) has the league’s top-ranked defense and has clinched the NFC West.
“They’re good in all three phases,” Stidham said of the 49ers. “It’s going to be a lot of fun. I’m super excited about it, and I think would be a great challenge for us. I know we’re looking forward to it.”
Stidham said he’s hoping his familiarity with McDaniels’ offense will help in his first career start. He says he’s confident, that he’s tried to prepare every week as if he were the starter and that he understands Carr’s advice about staying even.
“Part of playing quarterback is just not trying to do too much at times and just doing your job,” Stidham said. “That’s kind of been instilled in my brain since being in the league is just do your job, whatever that may be. One play it may not be much, then the next play it might be the biggest thing on the play. So, just trying to facilitate that the best I can.”