Derek Carr retiring due to shoulder injury

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr is retiring due to a shoulder injury, the team announced Saturday.

Carr experienced pain in his right shoulder in late March while ramping up his preparation for the 2025 season. Medical scans determined the 34-year-old sustained a labral tear and had significant degenerative changes to his rotator cuff, the Saints said in a statement.

After considering surgery, which might have wiped out the entire 2025 campaign, Carr decided to retire, as there was no guarantee he'd return to the level of strength and performance that he was accustomed to, the Saints added.

"Upon reflection of prayer, and in discussion with (my wife) Heather, I’ve decided to retire from the National Football League," Carr said. "For more than 11 years, we have been incredibly blessed, and we are forever grateful and humbled by this experience. 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."

Carr's uncertain status dominated recent headlines in New Orleans after it was reported in April a shoulder injury threatened his 2025 season. Details of the issue were unclear until Saturday's announcement.

His decision will give New Orleans $30 million in cash and cap relief, and in exchange, the team will not seek reimbursement of his $10-million roster bonus, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.

The Saints selected quarterback Tyler Shough in the second round of the 2025 draft due to the lack of clarity surrounding Carr. Shough was the first quarterback taken by the franchise in the first two rounds since Archie Manning in 1971.

With Carr gone, the Saints' quarterback room is now filled by the rookie Shough, second-year pro Spencer Rattler, and Jake Haener, who is entering his third season.

A second-round pick by the then-Oakland Raiders in 2014, Carr spent the first nine years of his career with the AFC West franchise. He made four Pro Bowls during that span and racked up a 63-79 record with 217 touchdowns to 99 interceptions.

Carr put up a 12-3 record as a starter in 2016, leading the Raiders to their first playoff appearance since 2002, though he didn't play due to a fractured fibula suffered in Week 16. Carr finished third in MVP voting that season, passing for 28 touchdowns to only six interceptions. He later led the Raiders back to the playoffs in 2021, but the Cincinnati Bengals defeated him in his first and only postseason start in the wild-card round.

Carr signed a four-year, $150-million deal with the Saints after being released by the Raiders following the 2022 season. He produced a 14-13 record over two campaigns in New Orleans with 40 touchdowns to 13 interceptions. He missed seven games in 2024, first with an oblique injury and later a fractured left hand ended his year.