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New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr announced his retirement Saturday.
The 2014 second-round pick had been dealing with a shoulder injury that put his 2025 season in doubt. He missed seven games last year with a concussion and a fractured hand.
“Upon reflection of prayer, and in discussion with Heather, I’ve decided to retire from the National Football League,” Carr, 34, said in a statement, referring to his wife.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) walks off the field after being injured during the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium Dec. 8, 2024. (Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images)
“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.”
The Saints announced in March that Carr sustained a labral tear. He “also had significant degenerative changes to his rotator cuff.”
The Saints said that surgery would have put the season in jeopardy, and there would have been a decent chance he would not find his old strength.
Derek Carr of the Las Vegas Raiders throws a pass in the fourth quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium Dec. 24, 2022, in Pittsburgh. (Gaelen Morse/Getty Images)
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Carr hangs up the cleats after throwing for 41,245 yards, 257 touchdowns and 112 interceptions. He was named to the Pro Bowl four times, including each year from 2015 to 2017.
Car finished in third place in the NFL MVP vote in 2016, but his season was cut short due to a broken ankle. Known as the Oakland Raiders that season, the team went 12-3 while he was under center.
Because of that injury, Carr played in just one playoff game in his career, a 26-19 loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Cincinnati Bengals in the wild-card round of the 2021 postseason.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr looks to pass during a game against the New York Giants, Dec. 8, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger, File)
Carr spent his first nine seasons with the Raiders before joining the Saints ahead of the 2024 season on a four-year deal worth $150 million, with $100 million guaranteed. In 27 games with New Orleans, Carr completed 68.2% of his passes for 6,023 yards, 40 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
New Orleans selected Tyler Shough out of Louisville with the 40th pick of the NFL Draft.
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