Former Saints QB Derek Carr ‘extremely unlikely’ to unretire and play in 2026, per report

Over the weekend, New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr announced his retirement, citing his shoulder injury that requires surgery that would knock him out for the 2025 season.

And while Carr is still at an age where he could potentially decide to return after a year away from the game if his shoulder fully heals, ProFootballTalk reports that it is “extremely unlikely” that he does so, and that Carr is already lining up “other professional plans.”

Carr, 34, retired after 11 NFL seasons due to an injury that the Saints described as a labral tear accompanied by significant degenerative changes to his rotator cuff in his right throwing shoulder. He tried to get by with injections and rehabilitation, but they didn’t take and the best course of action became surgery; and Carr decided instead to call it a career.

“Upon reflection of prayer, and in discussion with (Carr’s wife) Heather, I’ve decided to retire from the National Football League,” Carr said in a statement. “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.”