New Orleans Saints fans haven't agreed with much, if anything, that has come out of Derek Carr's mouth since he signed with the team three years ago. After hearing what Carr had to say about Tyler Shough, Carr and Saints fans may have finally found common ground.
Carr's recent appearance on Good Morning Football was highlighted by the quarterback once again speaking about teams trying to pull him out of retirement. Saints fans naturally laughed at this, but the comment also led to the Shough praise falling under the radar. One thing is clear: Tyler Shough has the it factor on and off the field.
"I'm happy for the city of New Orleans" @derekcarrqb thinks @tylershough2 is the perfect fit for the @Saints 📈 pic.twitter.com/w8UlIZAZju
— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) July 10, 2026
Ironically, Saints fans have Derek Carr to thank for Tyler Shough
That was another one that was weird to type, but it's true. Carr's sudden retirement is a huge reason why the Saints are where they are today, specifically with Shough. Without Carr stepping away when he did, Shough's evaluation and development wouldn't be as far along.
Carr has been a pillar of health throughout his career for the most part, so it's a good chance Shough never sees the field as a rookie. If he stayed, that still would have likely been his last season with the Saints. Carr's retirement didn't impact the Shough selection, just the timeline of him hitting the field.
The Shough vs. Spencer Rattler battle that headlined last year's training camp could have been moved to this year. If the Saints just decided to hand the reigns to Shough without a battle, he'd still be going into this season with no experience.
Carr's retirement reinvigorated the fan base both then and now. Many fans were ready to move into a new era, even if that new era was filled with uncertainty. By the end of the season, that uncertainty had been converted to optimism.
The fan base is excited for a season in a way we haven't seen in years. That's because of the 9 game stretch to close 2025, but we don't even get that if Carr doesn't step away last offseason.
Shough acclimated to the pro game quickly, but part of that could have been the less grueling schedule he stepped into. It's unlikely that it looks like that if his first two starts are against the Lions and Ravens.
Shough is on track to be the next franchise quarterback. Fans can have confidence going into the season because there's reason to believe going into the season.
Maybe the outcome is the same if Carr stays for another year. We'll never know, but we do know his retirement changed the timeline. His retirement will go down as one of the major ripple effects in franchise history, with the way it touched Shough's development and overall success of the 2025 season.
Add us as a preferred source on Google