New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr is retiring due to a shoulder injury that requires surgery, NFL Network reported Saturday. Carr took an injection for the injury and has worked through rehab, but medical evaluations determined a surgical procedure was necessary to fully repair his right shoulder.
Soon thereafter, the Saints confirmed Carr’s retirement.
“In late March, while ramping up his preparation for the 2025 season, Derek experienced pain in his right shoulder,” the team said in a statement. “It was his first time throwing a football at significant volume since recovering from both a concussion and left hand injury sustained during play on December 8, 2024. Derek immediately contacted the Saints Medical Team.
“Eventually, medical scans determined objectively that Derek sustained a labral tear and also had significant degenerative changes to his rotator cuff.”
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Surgery would have sidelined Carr for six months and meant that he would be on injured reserve through the 2025-26 season, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garofalo. Rather than go through that process, the 11-year veteran decided to retire.
Carr, 34, was limited to 10 games last season due to a hand injury suffered while scrambling and leaping for a first down during a Week 14 matchup versus the New York Giants. While he later cleared concussion protocol, Carr missed the final four games of the season and believed he also injured his right shoulder on that play.
While speaking at a church service in Las Vegas recently, Carr revealed his shoulder was injured, disputing skepticism about its seriousness.
“Yes, I have to say this,” Carr said. “I hate that I have to say this, but I have to say this. Yes, I have a shoulder injury, despite what ESPN says. And what some lady on a podcast might think, OK?”
“I have an MRI report to prove it. The team knows about it,” he added. “We’ve been in constant communication. There’s nothing wrong. We’re figuring it out, and we’re gonna go forward with that.”
Carr confirmed his retirement decision, made with his wife Heather, with a statement on social media.
“Upon reflection of prayer, and in discussion with Heather, I’ve decided to retire from the National Football League,” he wrote.
Carr had two years remaining on the four-year, $150 million contract he signed with the Saints in 2023. But the team restructured the deal to effectively make it a one-year agreement while allowing New Orleans to save approximately $30 million on its salary cap. Carr will keep the $10 million roster bonus he received in that reworking, in addition to the prorated amount of the $28.5 million signing bonus that was part of his original deal.
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With Carr’s future uncertain, the Saints selected Louisville QB Tyler Shough in the second round of this year’s NFL Draft, adding him to a depth chart that includes Spencer Rattler, who started six games last season, and Jake Haener.
Head coach Kellen Moore said Saturday that all three QBs will compete for the starting job.
In his two seasons with the Saints, Carr threw for 6,023 yards, 40 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 27 games. He previously injured his right shoulder in 2023, suffering an AC joint sprain that he believes never fully healed.
Carr played his previous nine seasons with the Raiders, compiling 35,222 yards, 257 TDs and 112 INTs, while being named to four Pro Bowls and finishing third in MVP voting during the 2016 season. He threw for over 4,000 yards four times during his NFL career, reaching a career-high of 4,804 in 2021, and finished just under the 4,000-yard mark two additional times.
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