David Carr

David Carr laid the groundwork as the Texans' first-ever QB, enduring 249 sacks behind a sieve of an O-line while chucking 13,391 yards at a 75.5 rating over six bruising seasons—think pioneer taking arrows. C.J. Stroud's crafting a brighter saga already, with cleaner pockets and sharper accuracy in year three; one's the trailblazer, the other's gunning for glory.

Nah, David Carr's not in Canton—no bust on the shelf for the No. 1 pick who absorbed more hits than a piñata at a Texans tailgate. His ledger shows 14,452 yards and 65 TDs across 11 years, but the sack totals and journeyman tag kept Hall voters at bay. Solid pro, zero gold jacket.

These days, Carr's thriving off the gridiron as a SiriusXM NFL radio host, dropping insider takes with that Fresno State swagger, while coaching up his sons and dipping into charity gigs back in Houston. No more 249-sack nightmares—just sharp analysis and family time, the smart pivot for a battle-tested vet.

Carr's live arm and mobility would've feasted under today's pass-happy rules—no more league-worst 49-sack seasons from shoddy lines, think protected pockets like Stroud enjoys. That 68.9% completion peak in '06 translates to 4,000-yard territory; he'd be a savvy starter or high-end backup, not the punching bag era made him.

Both Texans franchise QBs, but Carr's 8.89 YPA slogged through porous protection—75.5 rating, endless pressure—while Keenum's 16.55 YPA flashed hotter in spot duty, less battered. Carr toughed out the pioneer years; Keenum was the spark plug. Neither rewrote history, but Carr carried bigger scars.