Carson Palmer

"You just have to keep your confidence and not hang your head and realize that you're going to figure it out and that you're going to get better and that you're going to learn."

- Carson Palmer

Carson Palmer is an NFL quarterback who has played for 12 years in the NFL on three different teams, the Cincinnati Bengals, the Oakland Raiders, and the Arizona Cardinals. Palmer went undefeated in 2014 with the Cards for the first time in his career before tearing his ACL and being placed on Injured Reserve for the rest of the season.

Early Quarterback career
Palmer grew up in Fresno California and was renown for having a fairly strong arm for his age. It was in seventh grade when Carson's quarterback career began when his father enrolled him in private quarterback classes in Orange County. Palmer was raised Christian and attended Santa Margarita Catholic High School, where he received college offers from USC, Notre Dame, Colorado, University of Miami, and SDSU. Wanting to remain in California, he attended University of Southern California (USC). Palmer became the third quarterback in USC history to become the starter as a freshman. In Palmer's senior year with the help of USC coach Pete Carroll, he won the Heisman Trophy and led the Trojans to win the Orange Bowl against University of Iowa.

Bengals
Carson Palmer was drafted first overall in the 2003 draft. In his first season he did not start because Head Coach Marvin Lewis stated that Carson needed a year to "learn the ropes of being an NFL quarterback". Carson was more than ready to play in 2004 but do to a few major mistakes during the season the Bengals fell just short of the playoffs at 8-8. As the 05' season came around the corner the young quarterback was craving a playoff run. He would get that as he dominated the division going 11-5. In the Wildcard round of the playoffs the Bengals would face their number one division rival the Pittsburgh Steelers. Carson got off to a hot start throwing a 68 yard pass, the longest completed pass in Bengals postseason history. It was a costly throw however, being hit while throwing. He never was able to come back as x-rays confirmed that he would not be able to return and the team could not win without him losing 31-17 (the Steelers would end up winning the Super Bowl that year). The Bengals couldn't get back to the postseason since nine starters on their team were suspended or arrested. Palmer played hard all season but could only take them 8-8 without the rest of his team. In the next four seasons, the Bengals lost in the Wildcard round in one and had losing seasons the other three. Following the 2010 season Carson Palmer announced that he would retire if the Bengals did not trade him.

Raiders
Bengals coach Marvin Lewis wouldn't let Carson go that easily. Carson was kept on the roster but wasn't held on the active roster. Finally the Raiders negotiated a trade to get Palmer and he was made starter. With the rest of the team seriously lacking talent, the Raiders fell one game short of the playoffs at 8-8. Palmer played one more losing season with the Raiders before being traded away to the Cardinals.

Cardinals
Carson Palmer continued to struggle on the Arizona Cardinals throwing "Interception per game" as fans had started to say. Despite critisism by the media fans and opponents, Coach Bruce Arians never gave up on Palmer. At about mid season the quarterback stepped up and broke his interception streak. He didn't work alone putting use to receivers like Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd, together the Cardinals went 10-6 that season, however, they fell one game shy of the playoffs. In 2014 Carson had a minor injury in the opener game which cost him the next three weeks and quarterback Drew Stanton filled in for him until his return. Palmer returned strong going undefeated in all his starts until tearing his ACL and gong out for the season. In his absence the Cardinals got to 11-5 and lost in the playoffs in the Wildcard Round.