The surprising retirement of quarterback Derek Carr was one of the key headlines this offseason around the NFL. The New Orleans Saints lost their starter but were prepared after drafting Tyler Shough in round two of the 2025 NFL Draft.
With Carr's decision, the Saints could have been in a really tough spot due to his recent contract restructure and overall deal with the team. Instead, Carr and the Saints came to an agreement that helped out the team's salary cap situation following his retirement.
The Saints and Carr came to the decision that the quarterback would retire, leaving $30 million guaranteed that he would have received in 2025, and the club wouldn't pursue the $10 million roster bonus that would have been forfeited by retiring. -- NFL.com
Derek Carr discusses retirement, contract with Saints
Carr recently talked about his decision to retire with David Rumsey of Front Office Sports. The veteran QB felt like it was the choice regarding his future that made the most sense for himself and the organization, both.
"That part was tough because I didn't want to have surgery and just sit there and -- it sounds crazy but -- just take the Saints money,"
"I wouldn't have been able to play if I had the surgery, and then if I tried to play with it, I wasn't near 100%, and so that doesn't help them, either. I just felt like it was the right thing to do for myself and for the team."
"I never played just for the money. I had a whole bunch of people tell me how crazy I was, and, 'Man, I would never have done that.' That's all cool, but I've gained all these things that the world has to offer, and it doesn't really do anything for your heart. I knew my heart was at peace, and that's really all that mattered."
-- Derek Carr via Front Office Sports
Derek Carr shocked the NFL world by retiring last month and giving up $30 million.
After battling injury, Carr tells FOS he made the decision out of respect for the Saints and himself. pic.twitter.com/mraA3E2pV9— Front Office Sports (@FOS) June 4, 2025
Clearly, it was a choice that the quarterback didn't have to make. New Orleans didn't force him into it, but it also made the most sense to end a tumultuous tenure with the organization where playoff success was nonexistent.
Plenty of fans were frustrated at times with the QB, but this decision did help New Orleans this offseason - as well as in the future when it comes to cap space. That should be appreciated, even if it was the right thing to do, regardless.
We will see if this truly is the end of Carr's time in the pros. A return to the Saints doesn't seem like a possibility whatsoever, but another team could come calling later this season or next year in the case of an injury or interest in a bridge QB.
He is still dealing with that shoulder injury that forced his hand in this situation. That being said, he could make a full recovery and still try to make an NFL comeback at some point in the future. Carr is still just 34 years old.
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