Faith-Filled Saints QB Derek Carr Announces Retirement: ‘God Bless’

Faith-filled New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr announced his retirement from the NFL on Sunday.

“Upon reflection and prayer, and in discussion with Heather, I’ve decided to retire from the National Football League. For more than 11 years, we have been incredible blessed, and we are forever grateful and humbled by this experience,” he said in a statement released by the Saints.

“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,” his statement continued. “Your unwavering support has meant the world to us.”

He reflected more on his decision on his personal Instagram account.

“‘Thank you’ doesn’t say enough. To my incredible family and friends thank you for your love and support. To the Raiders and Saints organizations, Mr. Davis and Mrs. Benson thank you for giving me the opportunity to live out a childhood dream. To every coach who shaped me, every teammate I went to battle with, and every opponent who pushed me I’m grateful for the grind, the memories, and the brotherhood. To the fans thank you for riding with me through the highs, the lows, the injuries, the comebacks, the records, and the Pro Bowls,” he wrote.

Now he’s looking ahead to what God has next for him.

The former NFL Pro Bowler continued: “Through it all, I gave this game everything I had every single day. I sleep well knowing that I gave my teammates, my coaches, and my cities my all. Now, I look forward to whatever God has next and I’ll pursue it with the same fire I brought to the field. God bless, and see you soon.”

Many of his fans commented on the post and thanked him for a great career.

“Who dat 🙏 ⚜️ Thank u for your service,” influencer Theo Von wrote.

“Any Given Sunday. Won’t ever forget the dive/flip in New Orleans for the first down my first game playing with you. Let me know I was rolling with a warrior. Tremendous amount of respect for you DC. Your a heck of a guy dawg. Much love,” former teammate Kelechi Osemele commented.

“Much love and respect from our family to yours God Bless…on to your next chapter in Life!!!” another person said.

Throughout his entire career, Carr constantly talked about his faith in God.

In a 2021 press conference after a big win with the Raiders, he said, “All the self-glory, that stuff is fleeting. I’ve already been through that. God took me to a place that all I want to do is glorify Him, and wherever He’s going, that’s where I want to go. So if it’s a win, awesome. If not, I’m still gonna glorify Him.”

As Carr’s 11-year career with the Raiders and Saints comes to a close, many believe he will stay involved in football in some capacity. But no matter what he does, his faith in God will certainly guide him.