what happened to derrick carr
Derek Carr (often misspelled as “Derrick Carr”) recently retired from the NFL after a serious right shoulder injury with the New Orleans Saints, and as of early 2026 he is not playing in the league.
What actually happened to Derek Carr?
- In late March 2025, after one of his first big throwing sessions of the offseason with the Saints, Carr began experiencing significant pain in his throwing shoulder.
- Scans showed a torn right labrum and “significant degenerative changes” in his rotator cuff, which raised major doubts about his ability to continue as an NFL starter.
- On May 10, 2025, he announced his retirement , surprising many around the league because he was still under contract and not considered “old” for a quarterback.
Why he chose to retire
- Medical evaluations indicated that to keep playing he would likely need surgery that would sideline him and still might not restore him anywhere near full strength.
- Carr has said he did not want to have surgery just to “sit there and take the Saints’ money” if he couldn’t play, and he felt stepping away was the right thing for both himself and the team.
- The Saints later processed him onto the reserve/retired list, spreading the remaining dead cap hit over multiple seasons.
What he’s doing now and possible comeback talk
- After his retirement, the Saints turned fully toward a younger quarterback group, including draft pick Tyler Shough along with Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener, signaling a new direction at the position.
- There has been occasional speculation and fan discussion about a 2026 comeback if his shoulder fully heals, but informed reports describe a true return as “extremely unlikely” given his post‑football plans and the severity of the injury.
Quick HTML table summary
| Aspect | What happened |
|---|---|
| Player | Derek Carr (often searched as “Derrick Carr”) | [1][9]
| Team at time of issue | New Orleans Saints | [5][1][9]
| Injury | Torn right labrum and degenerative rotator cuff changes in throwing shoulder | [5][9]
| Key date | Retirement announced May 10, 2025 | [8][9][5]
| Reason for retirement | Could not play at full strength; did not want surgery plus being paid while unable to contribute | [9][5]
| Current NFL status (2026) | Retired; any 2026 comeback considered very unlikely | [10][1][9]
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.