After 11 years in professional football, Saints quarterback Derek Carr has retired from the NFL. The 34-year-old announced his decision on Saturday morning.
While never an elite QB, Carr was one of the more consistent signal callers of the past decade. Since 2017, he ranks fourth in passing yards (30,051), tenth in touchdown passes (176) and fifth in completion percentage (66.9%). Carr ends his career as the Raiders’ all-time leader in total passing yards (35,222) and touchdowns (217). The former second-round pick spent nine seasons with Oakland/Las Vegas.
Despite elevating a struggling Raiders franchise, Carr never had any playoff success. The quarterback’s only postseason appearance, in 2021, resulted in a 26-19 defeat vs. the Bengals. After years of mediocrity, Las Vegas traded him to the Saints in 2023. Over the last two seasons, he compiled a 14-13 record as New Orleans’ starter.
Unfortunately for Carr, poor health is what ultimately derailed his final season with the Saints. After a 2-2 start, the veteran suffered an oblique injury in Week 5 against the Chiefs, forcing him to miss three games. The quarterback then suffered a broken hand and a concussion in Week 14, ending his season. On Twitter/X, the Saints cited a labral tear and “degenerative changes” to Carr’s rotator cuff this offseason as the main reason for his retirement.
Currently, New Orleans’ quarterback room is occupied by Spencer Rattler, Jake Haener, and 2025 second-round pick Tyler Shough. The Saints now have +1000 odds of winning the NFC South on DraftKings Sportsbook.
