Carson Palmer is a former NFL quarterback. Palmer played college football at USC, where he 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 two seasons before joining Arizona. With the Cardinals, Palmer resumed the high level (albeit injury prone) play he had been accustomed to earlier in his career. He enjoyed his most successful year in 2015, aiding the Cardinals in reaching 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 year on injured reserve. He is a devout Christian, "I've been a Christian as long as I can remember. I've always been in church with my family through high school and college.