Everyone was a little confused about Derek Carr’s mysterious offseason shoulder injury.
But no one saw this coming for the New Orleans Saints quarterback.
Carr announced his retirement from the NFL on Saturday morning after 11 seasons.
“Upon reflection of prayer, and in discussion with Heather, I’ve decided to retire from the National Football League,” Carr wrote. “For more than 11 years, we have been incredibly blessed, and we are forever grateful and humbled by this experience. It’s difficult to find the right words to express our thanks to all the teammates, coaches, management, ownership, team officials and especially the fans who made this journey so special. Your unwavering support has meant the world to us.”
Carr was the 36th overall pick by the Raiders in the 2014 NFL Draft out of Fresno State.
He spent nine years with the Raiders, peaking with a 12-3 starting record in 2016 that included 28 touchdown passes and only six interceptions.
Carr joined the Saints before the 2023 season and had a 14-13 record as the New Orleans starter.
Derek Carr has announced his retirement.
In late March, while ramping up his preparation for the 2025 season, Derek experienced pain in his right shoulder. It was his first time throwing a football at significant volume since recovering from both a concussion and left hand… pic.twitter.com/SrcJEzDDnU
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) May 10, 2025
His total career stats in his 11 seasons:
- 77-92 record
- 41,245 passing yards
- 65.1 percent completions
- 257 touchdows
- 112 interceptions
According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo,” Carr recently underwent multiple medical evaluations on his shoulder. Surgery was deemed the only route back to 100% and that would mean up to 6 months recovery. Carr retires rather than staying on IR all year.”
Carr’s retirement opens up the QB depth chart to second-round pick Tyler Shough and second-year QBs Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener.
How old is Derek Carr?
Born March 28, 1991, Carr is 34 years old.
The Raiders selected Carr with the 36th pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. He spent nine seasons with the Raiders before joining the Saints.
Carr started 27 games over two seasons in New Orleans.
Derek Carr contract
Carr signed a four-year, $150 million contract with the Saints in 2023.
Carr saves the Saints $30 million in cash and cap relief, per Garafolo. He’ll keep his March roster bonus of $10 million, which the Saints will not seek reimbursement for.
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