Quarterback Derek Carr’s decision to retire at the age of 34 took everyone by surprise this offseason. In early May, the quarterback, who spent most of his career with the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders, chose to end his time in the league following the revelation of a shoulder issue he sustained while playing for the New Orleans Saints.
By retiring, Carr gave up a significant amount of guaranteed money in his contract, a move that helped the Saints balance their finances and even provided a clearer path for the team moving forward. The former quarterback spoke about his decision and ruled out any chance of returning to the field.
Derek Carr Shuts Down Possible Comeback, Talks About Post-NFL Plans
Although Carr might not be considered one of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks, he was consistently solid throughout his career. After peaking in 2016, only to miss the playoffs due to injury, his journey was marked by ups and downs. For years, Carr managed to stay relatively healthy, but eventually injuries caught up to him, significantly impacting his 2024 season.
Asked about the possibility of a comeback, Carr made it clear he’s truly retired. When his agent brought up the topic, he reportedly responded by sending a photo of himself on the beach with his kids, enjoying time with his family.
That’s Carr’s reality now. Realizing he’d never be the same player and that his ultimate goal of winning a Super Bowl was likely out of reach, he chose to turn his earnings into a better quality of life. After years in the NFL, he’s now focused on what every player hopes to do: enjoy life and his family in good health.
Professionally, the former player revealed he would like to work as an analyst, following in the footsteps of his brother David Carr, who has been with NFL Network since 2016.
David believes it would be a natural transition, as his knowledge of the game is still fresh in his mind. “Would I do something? Absolutely, because it’s just easy to talk about for me,” Derek said.
David revealed that NFL Network has already reached out to see if Derek would be open to a role as an analyst, and that even a show featuring the two of them is being discussed.
Carr’s Retirement Saves Saints $30,000,000 in Cap Space
Upon discovering a shoulder injury, Carr faced a difficult decision: undergo surgery and likely never play football again, or try an alternative treatment, live with the pain, and still never be close to 100%. The former quarterback opened up about his thought process and what ultimately led him to retire.
“I wouldn’t have been able to play if I had the surgery,” Carr said. “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.”
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
By retiring, Carr kept a $10 million roster bonus that had already been triggered but walked away from another $30 million that would have been guaranteed had he stayed. Still, Carr felt it wasn’t right to take that money from the Saints and chose instead to help the franchise — and himself — by stepping away.
“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,” Carr told Front Office Sports. “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.”
Over his career, Carr earned $195.7 million, making him the 16th highest-paid player in NFL history. With that financial security, Carr chose to follow his principles rather than chase another big payday. His decision allowed the Saints to move forward with quarterbacks Tyler Shough, Spencer Rattler, and Jake Haener.
