Carson Palmer

Carson Hilton Palmer (born December 27, 1979) is a former American football quarterback who played 15 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Cincinnati Bengals, Oakland Raiders and Arizona Cardinals. He played college football at USC and won the Heisman Trophy in 2002. The first overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft, Palmer was chosen by the Bengals, for whom he played eight seasons. During his tenure in Cincinnati, he helped lead the team to its first winning season and playoff appearance in 15 years and was named to two Pro Bowls. Amid declining success and conflicts with Bengals ownership, Palmer was traded to the Oakland Raiders, where he played for two seasons before joining Arizona via another trade. With the Cardinals, Palmer continued his run of dependable but injury-plagued steadiness under center. He enjoyed his most successful year in 2015, aiding the Cardinals in their advancement to the NFC Championship game, and being named to his third Pro Bowl, in addition to being a second-team All-Pro. Palmer retired following the 2017 regular season after spending much of the league year on injured reserve.