C.J. Carr is the newest name in Notre Dame’s long line of standout quarterbacks, joining a group that includes players like Brady Quinn, Ian Book and most recently Riley Leonard. Even before he played a snap, expectations were heavy. Carr is the grandson of Lloyd Carr, the Michigan coaching legend who won a national championship. That alone brought plenty of pressure, but C.J. has embraced it from the moment he chose Notre Dame.
He is also unusual in today’s college football world. Carr never entered the transfer portal and never wavered from his commitment to the Irish. Instead, he stayed, learned the system and worked his way up. In 2025, as a redshirt freshman, he won the starting job and now carries the responsibility of turning Notre Dame from a regular contender into a true national title threat. With the support of coach Marcus Freeman and the winning history of his family, Carr has taken over the position after several veteran transfers previously led the team.
Is CJ Carr related to Derek Carr?
Because of his last name, many fans wonder whether he is related to longtime NFL quarterbacks Derek and David Carr. It’s a natural question, but the two families are completely separate.
C.J. Carr’s grandfather is Lloyd Carr, who coached Michigan to the 1997 national championship. C.J. grew up in Saline, Michigan, staying close to the Midwest roots his family is known for. Derek and David Carr, meanwhile, grew up in Bakersfield, California and both played college football at Fresno State.
C.J. Carr is 20 years old and is listed as a redshirt freshman for the 2025 season. He was a four star recruit who committed to Notre Dame ahead of 2024. He appeared briefly during the Irish’s national championship run but didn’t see much game action. Now in his first full year as the starter, he has already been named a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien Award, which goes to the nation’s top quarterback.
Derek Carr, on the other hand, is 34. After starring at Fresno State, he spent 11 years in the NFL before retiring in May 2025. He played nine seasons with the Oakland and Las Vegas Raiders and two with the New Orleans Saints. He holds nearly every major passing record in Raiders history and led the team to its best season in years back in 2016 before a leg injury ended his playoff hopes.
As C.J. Carr continues to settle into his role at Notre Dame, his challenge is to build a legacy that belongs to him alone, separate from Michigan’s past and separate from the NFL Carr brothers. His goal is to make the name C.J. Carr stand for winning in South Bend.