Saints QB Derek Carr retires amid shoulder injury

After 11 years, Derek Carr is saying goodbye to the NFL.

The veteran quarterback announced on Saturday through a statement by the New Orleans Saints that “I’ve decided to retire from the National Football League.”

NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported that the decision by Carr comes as he continues to deal with a lingering shoulder issue. Carr underwent multiple medical evaluations in recent weeks and surgery was deemed the only route to get his shoulder back to 100 per cent, a process that could take up to six months to recover from.

“Eventually, medical scans determined objectively that Derek sustained a labral tear and also had significant degenerative changes to his rotator cuff,” the Saints explained in their statement.

The 34-year-old has opted to retire instead of missing the entire 2025 season on injured reserve.

“It’s difficult to find the right words to express our thanks … your unwavering support has meant the world to us,” Carr added.”

The four-time Pro Bowler has been a member of the New Orleans Saints for the last two seasons after signing a four-year, $150 million deal ahead of the 2023 campaign. Carr is 14-13 since then and is coming off a 5-5 season in the Big Easy, missing seven games, the last four in a row, due to injuries.

He threw for 2,145 yards for 15 touchdowns and five interceptions in 2024.

Carr’s upper-body issue dates back to his first year in New Orleans, when he injured the AC joint in his throwing shoulder during that campaign. While it didn’t cause him to miss any time then, it’s kept him sidelined long enough now that general manager Mickey Loomis was even left perplexed by the situation.

“We’re hoping to get some resolution and some clarity on that in the near future,” Loomis said back in April. “And when we do, I’ll report back to you. Otherwise, I don’t have anything more on Derek.”

The situation was so uncertain that the Saints GM even opted to sidestep a question about who the team’s starter will be this upcoming season, saying that ” I’m not going to answer that, because that will just lead to a bunch of speculation, whichever way I answer it.”

All the while, the former second-round pick in 2014 (36th overall), had not been silent throughout the off-season process.

“I hate that I have to say this, but I have to say this: Yes, I have a shoulder injury,” Carr said while delivering a guest sermon at a church in Las Vegas last week.

“I have an MRI report to prove it,” Carr continued. “The team knows about it. We’ve been in constant communication. There’s nothing wrong. We’re figuring it out and we’re going to go forward with that … I’ve been dealing with people lying about me … and I’m like, ‘Lord, why do I have to continue to deal with this nonsense?”

Oddly enough, the Saints’ injury reports last season did not mention any issues with Carr’s shoulder, instead, his seven absences were attributed to oblique and wrist injuries. NFL Network’s Jane Slater reported that his shoulder injury was believed to have been suffered in a Week 14 win over the New York Giants, in what appears to have been Carr’s final appearance with the Saints.

The Fresno State product was originally drafted by the Raiders and spent the first nine years of his career with them. He’s racked up a total of 169 games (77-92) throughout his decade-long career, throwing for 41,245 yards (22nd all-time), 257 touchdowns and 112 interceptions.

Meanwhile, New Orleans’ QB room gets a lot younger with Carr no longer in the mix. Spencer Rattler (24) and Jake Haener (26) were both selected by the Saints in the last two years, and they just added Tyler Shough (25) in the second round of the 2025 draft. Which one of them gets the starting job is up for anyone’s guess.

— with files from the Associated Press