How CJ Carr Carries His Brother’s Legacy With Him

Grandson of 13-year, and National Championship winning Head Coach of Michigan Lloyd Carr, CJ Carr shocked many when he committed to Notre Dame. CJ’s father, Jason Carr appeared in 20 games as a Michigan quarterback, and his other grandfather, Tom Curtis, was a two-time All-American safety for the Wolverines. His mother, Tammy Carr, who also went to Michigan stated in a story with ESPN that, “you come out of the womb singing the fight song in this house.” 

Despite his Wolverine upbringing, CJ has credited Head Coach Marcus Freeman with his commitment to Notre Dame and said he wanted to “branch out” and go to school farther from home. Now, his younger brother, Tommy, is a true freshman quarterback at Michigan, and is listed behind Bryce Underwood on Michigan’s depth chart. It may not be long until Wolverine fans see a Carr take the field as the Michigan quarterback once and for all. 

However, Tommy is not the only brother of CJ. On September 23, 2014, just days before his 4th birthday, CJ’s youngest brother, Chad, was diagnosed with DIPG, diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma. DIPG is an inoperable brain tumor, and the family was told that Chad had 9 months to live – the worst news that any family could receive. Coach Harbaugh, the coach at Michigan at the time, invited the family over and played with Chad. The family was also brought out for the coin toss at a Michigan game. From there, #ChadTough was born.

On September 23, 2014, 15 months after the diagnosis, Chad passed away at the age of 5 tragically. During his all-too short life, Chad’s story touched the entire college football world. In the same story with ESPN, Jason Carr said that Chad “showed [the Carr family] how to get through this”. Chad is remembered by many as an energetic kid who always cared for and brightened up the days of those around him. The family even said that Chad was the type of kid to wear green for Michigan State just to annoy his parents and older brothers, who were Michigan diehards.

Today, CJ Carr, a highly sought-after NFL prospect and preseason favorite to win the Heisman Trophy as Notre Dame’s quarterback, carries his brother’s legacy with him each and every day and into each and every matchup he plays. In an article with The Players’ Tribune, titled “100 Years of Love in 5 Years of Life”, CJ says that “The reality is that, even though he’s in a different place, Chad continues to live on through everyone in my family. And, you know what else? He’s given all of us a gift. Maybe the greatest gift I’ve ever received in life.” CJ will forever cherish the five years he got to spend with his younger brother, and he plays football with Chad right by his side. He has a tattoo that says “Chad” with a cross right next to it on his wrist, a constant reminder of who he is playing for.

CJ Carr shined in his debut season as the starter for the Fighting Irish, leading them to a 10-2 record. The Irish are viewed by many as a National Championship contender this season as they have started the year undefeated. As he looks to bring the first National Championship since 1988 to South Bend, Carr carries the legacy of his brother everywhere he goes. Down the road, CJ Carr will be a difference-maker in the NFL, as he is predicted by many NFL Draft analysts to go in the top-10 of this year's NFL Draft. He recently shined in the Manning Passing Academy, where he stood out for his talent and football IQ, and was viewed by most as the MVP of the camp, which most major college quarterbacks attended.

Now, Chad’s legacy is also lived on through the ChadTough Defeat DIPG Foundation started by the Carr family. The parents were shocked by how little research has been done to curing the disease that killed their son, and have now joined the fight to end DIPG, so that down the road kids like Chad can defeat this type of cancer. 

The story of CJ Carr is that of a talented young man who chose to forge his own path while being motivated by the loss of those closest to him. Notre Dame fan or not, the Carr’s incredible story should make CJ, who is playing for the late Chad, a fan favorite throughout the country.

To learn more about the foundation, or to make a donation to help fight DIPG visit chadtough.org. To learn more about Chad’s story, here is the ESPN story featuring the Carr family.