Sportsnaut
Despite hopes he would be the starting quarterback at some point in 2025, New Orleans Saints QB Derek Carr shocked the NFL world on Saturday when he announced his retirement from the sport.
“In late March, while ramping up his preparation for the 2025 season, Derek experienced pain in his right shoulder. It was his first time throwing a football at a significant volume since recovering from both a concussion and left hand injury sustained during play on December 8, 2024,” the Saints said in a statement. “Derek immediately contacted the Saints Medical Team. Eventually, medical scans determined objectively that Derek sustained a labral tear and also had significant degenerative changes to his rotator cuff.”
Such an injury would be a huge challenge for any player, let alone a 34-year-old with a long injury history. Derek Carr’s choice to retire was the right move for him and the Saints. But where does this leave New Orleans going forward? We look at the six biggest winners and losers from Carr’s sudden retirement.
This is a very disappointing end for a player who should have had a couple more years of high-level play left in him. He was left heartbroken when he saw his nine-year run in Oakland/Las Vegas come to a sudden end two years ago. The hope was that New Orleans would be the home of his redemption story. However, his first year in Louisiana was underwhelming, and he missed seven games due to injuries in 2024.
While it is sad, it almost seems fitting that a player who always battled through injuries ended up facing one he could not recover from and play through.
The Las Vegas Raiders cutting ties with Derek Carr, with no clear answer at this position, angered many of their fans. However, three years removed from cutting him immediately after the 2022 season, it was the right move. Carr’s health was always a story during his time with the team. The four-time Pro Bowler suffering a career-ending injury shows that ending the relationship came at the right time. Oakland/Las Vegas saw the best of Carr and avoided the sad end.
Kellen Moore took the Saints’ head coach job with the hope that he would have a proven, multi-time Pro Bowler leading his new offense. Well, that is no longer the case. With the news coming so far into the offseason, the veteran options out on the free agent market are thin. Now, the first-time head coach will oversee a quarterback competition during his rookie year.
Following the news of Carr’s injury last month, there had already been rumblings that second-round pick Tyler Shough would have a good chance to be the starting QB if the 11-year veteran was ready early in the season. Well, now the Louisville star will get a chance to prove he is their future franchise QB in year one. With Spencer Rattler and Jake...
