Derek Carr Retires After Shoulder Injury Ends NFL Career

After 10 seasons in the NFL, Derek Carr has announced his intention to retire due to a shoulder injury.

Derek Carr Retires After Shoulder Injury Ends NFL Career

Derek Carr (Image via AP)

Of the many things NFL fans had on their 2025 NFL Bingo Card, Saints quarterback Derek Carr‘s retirement was not one of them. In a shocking announcement made minutes earlier, Carr and the New Orleans Saints announced on Saturday morning that he will no longer continue his professional football career. This comes after the quarterback was informed he had to undergo shoulder surgery, but as a result, he would end up missing the entire 2025-26 season.

Carr quickly made a mark in the NFL, drafted 36th overall in 2014 by the Las Vegas Raiders. He cemented his position as the team’s starter by throwing for 3000+ yards in his first season and subsequently continued to improve. Derek Carr thrived alongside Jon Gruden when he was the Raiders’ head coach. However, his success in the regular season never carried over into the postseason.

The quarterback released a statement justifying his decision.

Upon reflection of prayer, and in discussion with Heather, I’ve decided to retire from the National Football League. 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.

Derek Carr said in his retirement statement

Derek Carr noticed his shoulder began to hurt earlier in March, and after reporting the same to the medical team of the Saints, he underwent an extensive diagnosis. The scans showed that he had a labral tear and degenerative changes to his rotator cuff. The labrum is a ring of cartilage that lines the edge of the shoulder socket and plays a vital role in keeping the humerus in place.

A labral tear occurs when this cartilage is damaged or torn. To explain with an example, imagine a rubber gasket meant to comfortably hold a ball in a cup. If the gasket is damaged, then the ball no longer sits securely. Carr’s injury results in extensive pain, instability, and limits his ability to rotate his shoulders.

Derek Carr decided to prioritize his health over football

He made the best decision for his health and longevity, and deserves to be credited for the same. The quarterback signed a four-year, $150 million deal with the Saints in 2023, but played just two seasons with the team. Since he is retiring, the team will not object to him backing out early. It marks an unfortunate end to the career of a talented quarterback.

Due to instability around him, Carr was never able to thrive. His best bet to win was in 2023 when he played alongside former college teammate Davante Adams. However, the duo was not able to succeed together.

Derek Carr
Derek Carr (Image via Open Source)

Carr and the Saints began the 2024-25 season on a high note. Winning two straight games, they were considered a threat, but as the season progressed, they could not sustain the same level of success. The quarterback sustained an injury mid-season, which kept him out of multiple games. Derek Carr has not had any success in the postseason. He led the Raiders to the playoffs once in 2022 but lost to the Bengals in the Wild Card round.

His retirement confirms what fans have known for the longest, the NFL truly means ‘Not For Long’ as no player’s future is guaranteed. With Carr’s departure, the Saints now have Tyler Shough, Spencer Rattler, and Jake Haener in their quarterback room, all inexperienced and young players. It will be interesting to see if they stick with Rattler or elevate the rookie, Shough, to the starter’s role.

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