Last month, New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr made the decision to retire after 11 seasons in the NFL, and he is still feeling confident in the decision. The 34-year-old is dealing with a shoulder injury that required surgery, which would sideline him for the 2025 season.
If Carr did stay in the league, he would be stuck on the sidelines, something he didn’t want to do. Money would be the reason some players stayed, but for Carr it was the opposite.
“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.
Carr was set to earn $30 million in 2025 and had two years remaining on the four-year, $150 million deal he signed in 2023. He will take home a $10 million roster bonus. Since joining the league as a second-round pick in 2024, Carr accumulated under $196 million in career earnings.
While it would’ve been a nice paycheck, the intention behind his decision to leave was more valuable to him than any monetary value, he 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. I knew my heart was at peace, and that’s really all that mattered.”
Carr wanted to make the move that would benefit both parties, acknowledging that he wouldn’t have played at the level needed if he decided to forego the surgery. He said he was not close to 100% healthy, so it was the “right thing” to step away. Carr said he hasn’t had second thoughts and is finding that his new day-to-day is better than the alternative.
“My agent literally texted me a few days ago and he said, ‘Hey, just checking it in. How’s everything? You still feel comfortable with the decision?’ And I sent him a picture of me on the beach with my two kids playing. And I said, ‘This beats an OTA any day.’ And he said, ‘Yeah, I thought so,'” Carr explained. “So, I’m doing great and have thoroughly enjoyed being home.”
While Carr said he is considering a potential career in sports media, the Saints enter the season with an unproven quarterback room that includes Spencer Rattler, Jake Haener and 25-year-old rookie Tyler Shough. Rattler went 0-6 as a starter last season and Haener went 0-1. The team’s track record without Carr doesn’t give much immediate hope, but new coach Kellen Moore has expressed confidence in his group.
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