Who Is Notre Dame's CJ Carr? 5 Things to Know About the Fighting Irish QB

Notre Dame redshirt freshman quarterback CJ Carr from a legendary lineage of college football success.

A native of Saline, Michigan, the 20-year-old Carr is the grandson of former University of Michigan head football coach Lloyd Carr. 

After taking a redshirt last year as quarterback Riley Leonard led the Fighting Irish to the College Football Playoff National Championship, Carr has been given the reins as the team looks to replicate last year’s success. 

CJ and No. 6 Notre Dame open the 2025 season on the road against No. 10 Miami on Sunday, August 31. 

For what you need to know about the Fighting Irish’s new quarterback, keep reading. 

CJ Carr Had to Win the Notre Dame Starting Job

CJ was in a fierce battle for the starting quarterback position throughout the spring and summer with Kenny Minchey, a redshirt sophomore from Hendersonville, Tennessee

Notre Dame head coach, Marcus Freeman, announced CJ as the starter earlier this month, saying he had to “trust my gut.”

“Statistically, as close [as] any quarterback competition I’ve ever been a part of,” Freeman, 39, told reporters on Tuesday, August 26. “I was looking for that to be the reason to make a decision, and it wasn’t clear.”

Ultimately, Freeman called CJ “as intelligent of a football player you’ll be around.”

“He’s a guy that’s very confident — at some points, you may be a little bit overconfident — but you want that in your quarterback,” Freeman explained. “You want the quarterback to say, ‘I want the ball in my hands every play when the game is on the line, and I believe that I’m going to make the right decision.'”

CJ Carr’s Hall of Fame Grandpa Has Given Him Advice

After officially being named the starter, CJ’s 80-year-old grandpa, Lloyd Carr, was one of the first people to reach out. 

“He texted me after I got named, and he said that football runs in the Carr family blood, and that this is your moment, you’re ready for this,” CJ told reporters on Wednesday, August 27. “So go out against Miami and attack and don’t look back.”

Lloyd was the head coach at the University of Michigan from 1995 to 2007.

CJ Carr’s Brother Died of Pediatric Brain Cancer

In November 2015, CJ’s brother Chad died after being diagnosed with an inoperable type of brain cancer called DIPG the year prior. He was 5 years old. 

According to ChadTough, a charity started in his name, Chad underwent 30 rounds of radiation over the course of 14 months before he passed away. 

CJ has made a point to keep his brother’s legacy alive, including with the NIL (name, image and likeness) deals that he chooses. 

Last year, CJ partnered with Steve Napleton’s Countryside Mazda in Countryside, Illinois. 

“I wanted to partner with the Steve Napleton Auto Group because of their commitment to fighting pediatric brain cancer,” CJ explained. “Since 2022, every May and October they donate to the Violet Foundation for pediatric brain cancer for every car they sell or service.”

Napleton lost his daughter, Violet, to the same disease as Chad in 2022. 

CJ Carr Knew He Wanted to Attend Notre Dame

Despite receiving offers from schools like Georgia, Alabama, LSU and even Michigan, where his grandfather coached, CJ went with the luck of the Irish.

“I love Notre Dame,” CJ said after announcing his commitment in June 2022. “I know exactly how I will be coached there, I know what will be expected of me and I am excited to help build the recruiting class.”

CJ Carr Is Ready for the Big Stage

After beating out Minchey for the starting quarterback job, CJ felt “a weight lifted off in all the aspects.”

“You come here and there’s direction on who’s the voice of the offense,” CJ told The Athletic in a story published on Thursday, August 28. “You’re not worried about mistakes.”

He continued, “When a mistake comes, it’s honestly like, ‘OK, this is a place in my game I can get better. This is a place in the game plan we can improve on.’ And it’s less of, ‘S***, maybe I’m not going to be the guy anymore because of this.’ It for sure was a release.”

CJ recently hit up former Notre Dame quarterback Leonard ahead of the showdown against the Hurricanes on Sunday night. “Riley’s message was just be myself. Go out there and let it loose,” CJ said. 

“Ready to go,” Carr added. “Ready to play a really good Miami team, but we’re a really good Notre Dame team.”