The history of Notre Dame football is rich on its own, but the program now features a player who is related to two of the most impactful figures in the history of Michigan's football program.
Quarterback CJ Carr made his way to South Bend, Ind., after a standout high school career in Saline, Mich. Both of his grandfathers are football royalty in Ann Arbor, Mich., but Carr is now blazing a different trail under center with the Fighting Irish.
Here is more to know about just how deep Carr's family ties run with the Wolverines program, from his Hall of Fame grandfathers to parents who also donned maize and blue in college.
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Who is CJ Carr?
Carr is a quarterback at Notre Dame.
A four-star prospect at Saline HS in Michigan, Carr was the 48th-ranked prospect in the 2024 recruiting class, per 247Sports. He chose the Fighting Irish over offers from Alabama, Georgia, Michigan and Penn State, among other major programs.
Carr made his collegiate debut during Notre Dame's blowout of Purdue in Week 3 of the 2024 season. In the 59-point win, Carr took the field but did not register a stat.
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CJ Carr family
CJ Carr grandfather: Lloyd Carr
Lloyd is CJ's paternal grandfather and one of the most iconic coaches in college football history.
Lloyd played QB at Missouri and Northern Michigan from 1964-67 before beginning his coaching career as a high school assistant in 1968. He worked his way up the coaching ranks until he was named Michigan's head coach in 1995.
He led the Wolverines for 13 seasons, including the program's national championship season in 1997. He also led Michigan to five Big Ten championships before retiring at the end of the 2007 season. Lloyd was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2011.
CJ Carr grandfather: Tom Curtis
Curtis is Carr's maternal grandfather. He played varsity football at Michigan from 1967-69.
Curtis, a safety, earned First Team All-Big Ten Selections in 1968 and 1969, the year he was also a consensus All-American. His 25 career interceptions are a Michigan record and he was a 14th-round pick in the 1970 NFL Draft.
Curtis was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2005.
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CJ Carr parents: Jason and Tammi Carr
Jason played football at Michigan from 1992 to 1995, taking snaps under center in each of his years with the Wolverines. Jason never started, but he appeared in 20 games over four seasons, including 11 games as a sophomore.
For his career, Jason completed 11 of 23 pass attempts for 114 yards.
Tammi also attended Michigan
CJ Carr brother: Tommy Carr
Tommy is CJ's younger brother and a quarterback in the class of 2026 at Saline High School.
Tommy, the seventh-ranked Michigan prospect in his recruiting class, per 247Sports, committed to Miami (Ohio) on Feb. 21, 2025.
100% Committed‼️#RiseUpRedHawks@Martin_Miami_HC @A_Ragland14 @CoachWelshMiami @MiamiOHFootball @CoachShort_ @BradMaendler pic.twitter.com/Rveh7FXBIn
— Tommy Carr (@TommyCarr03) February 21, 2025
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CJ Carr brother: Chad Carr
Chad was the youngest of the family. In 2015, he was diagnosed with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, or DIPG, a rare, aggressive, and inoperable brain tumor in his brain stem.
Chad's diagnosis led to #ChadTough becoming a mantra in the Michigan communities of Ann Arbor and Saline, and players from all sides of Michigan's rivalries with Michigan State and Ohio State represented Chad to raise awareness. Chad died on Nov. 20, 2015. He was five years old.
His life has inspired the ChadTough Defeat DIPG Foundation, which raises money and spreads awareness to find a cure for DIPG and DMG, or diffuse midline glioma.
Notre Dame QB CJ Carr spoke on what it meant to have the whole QB Room, Riley Leonard and Ian Book show up for QBs for a Cause in Chicago earlier this summer.
— Matt Freeman (@mattfreeman05_) August 1, 2025
The event raised funds for Carr's family foundation (@chadtough), and @buyabrickorg, led by Leonard's grandfather. pic.twitter.com/NDJsxToX4K
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Is CJ Carr related to Derek Carr?
CJ is not related to Derek Carr.
While they share a surname, there is no known relation between the two signal-callers.
CJ Carr age
CJ is 20 years old. He was born on May 26, 2005.
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