Quarterback Derek Carr announced his decision to retire from professional football after 11 seasons in the NFL. Last season with the New Orleans Saints, Carr dealt with two injuries in one game in December – a concussion and a hand injury.
The difficult choice Carr faced
In March, as he was getting back into shape to practice again for the first time since then, he noticed pains in his right shoulder. After the Saints Medical Team evaluated Carr, they found that he had a labral tear as well as significant degenerative changes to his rotator cuff.
Carr had two options – surgery, or retire. Surgery would have kept him out for the entirety of the 2025 season. And even after he recovered, he may not have ever regained the full strength he had before the injury. He chose instead that it would be in his and the Saints’ best interests to retire from the NFL.
“Upon reflection of prayer, and in discussion with Heather (Carr’s wife), I’ve decided to retire from the National Football League,” said Carr. “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. Your unwavering support has meant the world to us.”
Carr generously helps out Saints with salary cap
Carr is reportedly giving up $30 million of the $40 million he was set to receive after a contract restructure, which says a lot about his character. Rather than forcing the team to pay him the full amount while on Injured Reserve, Carr chose a clean exit, which will help the Saints gain significant relief in the salary cap.
Instead, the Saints will give Carr the $10 million he was owed as a roster bonus from his last contract restructure. But Carr’s cap hit will drop from a potential $69 million to about $35.7 million in 2026with no further impact beyond that year. The move shows a selflessness that helps the team out significantly financially.
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