Derek Carr's future was the biggest cloud hanging over the New Orleans Saints this offseason from the moment the team played their final game. There's no more room for speculation, the quarterback has decided to step away from the game of football for good.
Carr announced his retirement Saturday morning saying, "upon reflection of prayer, and in discussion with Heather, I’ve decided to retire from the National Football League. For more than 11 years, we have been incredibly blessed, and we are forever grateful and humbled by this experience."
Derek Carr's shoulder injury
As mentioned earlier, the Carr cloud lingered over the Saints the entire offseason. At first, it was the question of would they restructure his contract. They did. That was a sign Carr would be on the roster for at least another season.
Shortly after the restructure occurred, the news broke that Carr had a shoulder injury that could potentially cost him the 2025 season. It appears that injury cost him his career. Ultimately, the shoulder injury was the catalyst for his retirement.
After noticing pain in his shoulder in March, Carr met with doctors and determined he had a labral tear and degenerative changes to his rotator cuff that may or may not require surgery. Even if Carr did take the surgical approach, there was "no guarantee Derek would return to the level of strength, function and performance of play to which he was accustomed."
Once you hear the word degenerative, things begin to get alarming. This isn't something you simply rehab from. It is decline you can only slow down. The injury was to his throwing shoulder, so throwing the ball 400 times a year would only cause further deterioration. That number doesn't even account for practice throws.
It's unclear if Carr will opt for a surgery, but stepping away may have been the best choice for his body in the long run. On the way out he thanked everyone involved in his career.
"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," Carr said. "Your unwavering support has meant the world to us.”