By the time the New Orleans Saints rookie draft picks, undrafted free agents, tryout players and a handful of under-contract players took the field for the third and final day of rookie minicamp at the Saints' practice facility, there'd been time for digestion of the news that New Orleans would enter the 2025 season with a new starting quarterback.
Derek Carr, who opened the past two seasons as the Saints' starter and led the team to a 14-13 record when he played, announced his retirement Saturday morning.
Carr, who missed seven games in 2024 due to injury, experienced pain in his right (throwing) shoulder in late March while ramping up preparation for 2025, his first time throwing with significant volume since his season-ending injuries (concussion, broken left hand) sustained Dec. 8.
Medical scans determined that he sustained a labral tear and also had significant degenerative changes to his rotator cuff. Surgery was an option, which would jeopardize the '25 season, and there was no guarantee that he would return to his usual level of strength, function and performance.
"Thank you doesn't say enough," Carr said in an Instagram post, in which he thanked family and friends for their support. "To the Raiders and Saints organizations, (Raiders owner) Mr. (Mark) Davis and (Saints owner) Mrs. (Gayle) Benson thank you for giving me the opportunity to live out a childhood dream.
"To the fans, thank you for riding with me through the highs, the lows, the injuries, the comebacks, the records and the Pro Bowls.
"I sleep well knowing that I gave my teammates, my coaches, and my cities my all."
Carr played 11 NFL seasons – nine with the Raiders and two with the Saints – and completed 3,765 of 5,785 passes for 41,245 yards and 257 touchdowns, with 112 interceptions. In New Orleans, he completed 564 of 827 passes for 6,023 yards, with 40 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He totaled 35 game-winning drives, two with New Orleans.
"First of all you respect and appreciate so much what Derek has done in this league," Saints Coach Kellen Moore said Saturday. "The way he's done it – the on-the-field performance, the off-the-field person that he's showcased and the impact he's had on so many people in this profession is really, really special.
"I've always had so much respect and appreciation for him. As we've gone through this process this is kind of how it ultimately was settled. It was really good communication through the whole process as far as navigating this. Derek, the people that are a part of his life, have communicated really well with the Saints. We feel like it was done the right way."
