Why Derek Carr’s shock retirement has prompted questions

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Jeremy Fowler
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Jeremy Fowler

senior NFL nationwide reporter
Katherine Terrell
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Katherine Terrell

ESPN Employees Author

Might 16, 2025, 06:00 AM ET

METAIRIE, La. — Kellen Moore did not have the solutions.

Lower than three months after the New Orleans Saints named him head coach, Moore discovered himself confronting a barrage of stories convention questions on a participant he had by no means coached — by no means even met with in individual — since taking the job. The Saints had introduced quarterback Derek Carr’s shock retirement three hours earlier, with the workforce saying in an announcement that Carr skilled ache in his throwing shoulder in late March after his first important throwing session of the offseason. The Saints mentioned scans decided Carr had a torn proper labrum and “important degenerative modifications to his rotator cuff.”

The twin Might 10 assertion from Carr and the workforce left lots of questions. Twenty-three of them, in actual fact, had been posed to Moore on Saturday, together with these:

When did Carr resolve to retire? How did he get injured? Did you speak to Carr your self concerning the retirement? Why did you say you had been optimistic at league conferences that Carr would play if, in accordance with your assertion, you’d simply came upon Carr was injured? Why had been the Saints trying to find readability on Carr’s situation if his communication was “actually good” as you mentioned?

Moore steered away from direct responses, praised Carr, mentioned “the method,” though he did not present any actual particulars on what the method was. Carr additionally hasn’t spoken instantly on the matter since retiring — makes an attempt to succeed in him for this story had been unsuccessful — which hasn’t saved the questions from coming, and hasn’t prevented puzzled observers inside the Saints group and across the league from making an attempt to reply them.

Everybody concedes Carr is injured. Not everybody believes it is the complete story of why he retired.

DAYS BEFORE FREE company in early March, phrase started to unfold inside league circles that Carr — heading into the third season of a four-year, $150 million contract he signed with the Saints in 2023 — was open to enjoying for a brand new workforce.

A Carr consultant spoke with at the least two groups available in the market for a quarterback about potential curiosity within the veteran, in accordance with three league sources. Whereas one of many sources labeled the contact as oblique, each entrance workplaces had been made conscious that Carr is likely to be on the lookout for a brand new enjoying dwelling.

A Saints supply mentioned no permission was given in writing for Carr to talk to different groups. A separate Saints supply mentioned the workforce heard whispers of Carr’s flirtation with different groups however did not think about it a significant concern, partially as a result of Carr, after 11 years within the league and enjoying by accidents, had earned the fitting to guage his future. Exterior talks by no means reached a severe level, in accordance with sources who’ve familiarity with the conversations.

Solely Carr might say why he would have been looking for an exit from New Orleans, however these round him have theories. One workforce supply mentioned Carr had a kinship with final season’s battery of offensive coaches, departed coordinator Klint Kubiak and quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko, and had hoped they might return. The top coach who drafted Carr as a Raider and introduced him to New Orleans, Dennis Allen, was gone. The Saints’ plan to restructure Carr’s contract was one other potential supply of friction — Moore declined to touch upon whether or not the workforce had requested Carr to take a pay lower.

In any occasion, the assumption amongst a number of folks interviewed is that the Saints and Carr weren’t on the best of phrases.

For his half, Moore had been unable to enhance the connection. In his introductory information convention Feb. 13, Moore had been noncommittal about Carr because the starter whereas additionally going out of his technique to reward a participant he had confronted again when Moore was a quarterback at Boise State.

When given the possibility to make clear whether or not Carr can be the beginning quarterback, Moore’s solutions did not level to something sure.

“Derek’s an incredible quarterback on this league,” Moore mentioned that day. “I’ve had a lot respect for him. The journey that he is been on, he is a starter on this league. He is a premier participant on this league. He is had an important journey clearly going from Fresno State to the Raiders and now right here. Actually excited to workforce up with him and undergo this course of.”

An AFC government believes Moore had each intention of casting his lot with Carr, at the least in 2025.

“Numerous the blokes that interviewed [for the New Orleans head coaching job] thought they might have Derek,” the exec mentioned. “That was a part of the attraction — the [Saints] offense and what it was when wholesome.”

Although Moore expressed pleasure about working with Carr and assumed he can be within the fold because the workforce’s high beginning choice for 2025, he took the job understanding that New Orleans doubtless was headed towards quarterback purgatory. The 2025 season was the final with assured cash on Carr’s contract, and after two years with no playoff berth, the Saints and Carr appeared poised for a breakup in 2026 barring simple chemistry between quarterback and coach.

“It was time to take a look at [quarterbacks in the draft] regardless,” a Saints personnel supply mentioned. “That is the place the worth line was. Whether or not [Carr] performed or not would not dictate whether or not we choose anyone.”

Amid that actuality, Moore obtained “combined alerts” about Carr’s plans this offseason, in accordance with a number of sources. When Carr did not present up for voluntary exercises, one participant supply famous how uncommon it was for a longtime QB1 to be absent for such a session. Drew Brees’ 2012 contract holdout is believed to be the final time it had occurred with the Saints. With out providing specifics on the timing, Carr mentioned throughout a visitor sermon at Church LV in Las Vegas in April that he and his spouse, Heather, had deliberate to fly to New Orleans earlier within the offseason. He mentioned that Heather had been experiencing a well being concern and had a miscarriage across the time of their scheduled journey.

A number of workforce sources didn’t recall seeing Carr within the constructing this offseason, and a type of sources believes Carr’s correspondence with teammates was minimal. Offensive coaches had been in communication with Carr, however one workforce supply famous these talks had been extra about life than soccer schematics.

Provided that paradigm, each events might need understood {that a} separation was attainable.

However nowhere within the speak of an impending break up — nor in conversations Carr’s camp had with different groups — was any dialogue of a doubtlessly career-ending damage.

TO BE SURE, Carr’s accidents had been a prevailing theme of the Saints’ misbegotten 2024 season. After going 9-8 and narrowly lacking the playoffs in 2023, Carr was restricted to 10 video games in 2024. He left an eventual loss to the Chiefs on Oct. 7 due to an indirect damage. Second-year participant Jake Haener changed him in that sport earlier than the Saints began Spencer Rattler the following week.

Carr returned a month later to a workforce that was 2-6, successful three of his subsequent 5 begins to get New Orleans onto the perimeter of the playoff race. However he injured his non-throwing hand and suffered a concussion whereas leaping for a primary down close to the sideline in a win over the Giants on Dec. 8. Carr wouldn’t play once more. The Saints, who had fired Allen when the workforce was 2-7 and changed him with particular groups coach Darren Rizzi, didn’t win once more.

Eleven days after the win in opposition to the Giants, Rizzi responded to an NFL Community report that mentioned Carr was “impossible” to return due to the hand damage.

“He desires to return again and play this season,” Rizzi mentioned Dec. 19. “There’s completely zero doubt about that. He is in right here day-after-day doing all the pieces that he presumably can from a rehab standpoint to get himself again on the sphere.

“Apparently there have been some studies on the market about him being performed for the season and all that. If he was performed for the season, we’d’ve put him on IR by now.”

A number of workforce sources mentioned the looming concern round Carr’s late-season availability was the left hand damage listed on the damage report. Carr labored to return to motion, with one participant supply recalling that Carr was capable of throw however “could not take a snap.” A shoulder damage by no means appeared on the damage report in the course of the 2024 season, and a workforce supply mentioned that Carr went by a routine bodily on the finish of the season like all the opposite gamers on the roster and that no points had been voiced concerning the shoulder.

That is why, in accordance with participant and workforce sources, questions and curiosity linger amongst some within the Saints constructing concerning the damage that impressed Carr’s retirement.

“What we thought was his damage going into [2025] appears so much completely different now,” mentioned a workforce supply, referring to the hand damage. Those self same sources acknowledged Carr has performed by accidents all through his 11-year profession and really nicely might have accrued points associated to his shoulder over time.

“He wasn’t within the mode of doing heavy throwing late within the yr, and he tried to prepare, however the wrist simply wasn’t there but, so it is attainable he did not uncover issues [in the shoulder] till he began to do extra,” a Saints teaching supply mentioned about Carr’s late-season course of.

When precisely the labrum damage occurred shouldn’t be clear, neither is the timeline for when Carr reported ache in his throwing shoulder to the Saints. Whereas a number of workforce sources mentioned they realized about Carr’s damage round late March (the time when Carr reported the difficulty to the workforce, per the Might 10 assertion), a Saints teaching supply mentioned he first realized concerning the concern when an April 11 report surfaced on NFL Community that Carr had a shoulder damage that jeopardized his 2025 standing.

Each time the notification occurred, the workforce “obtained [the shoulder] checked out, came upon what was happening” and hoped for one of the best, in accordance with a high-ranking Saints supply. “When he mentioned ache, we’re not considering retirement,” the supply mentioned. Carr tried to rehab the damage however realized that functioning with it will be an arduous process, as outlined within the workforce’s assertion Saturday. A number of sources mentioned that is an vital piece of the timeline between the March discovery of the damage and the Might 10 announcement — each side wished to see how the damage would reply to rehab.

Nonetheless, the assumption amongst two participant sources and one league supply is that Carr had been at the least contemplating retirement nicely earlier than the extent of the shoulder drawback was obvious, even when Carr was merely taking inventory of his personal profession mortality because the season concluded.

Then why gauge curiosity from different groups? One supply with information of the state of affairs mentioned Carr was merely contemplating his choices at that time. Even when retirement was a consideration, it was hardly a solidified plan. And Carr wouldn’t have been clear on the extent of the shoulder concern in early March when he was evaluating his potential market.

Would a Carr retirement announcement in, say, February have prompted New Orleans to pursue a veteran on a high-priced contract resembling Sam Darnold? One workforce supply mentioned such a transfer would have been robust on the time due to the $40 million in ensures for Carr on the books in 2025. “I feel the draft was at all times probably the most logical play,” the supply mentioned.

The Saints did heavy lifting on quarterbacks within the 2025 draft, and several other league sources mentioned they consider New Orleans spent important time evaluating two particularly: Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart and the workforce’s eventual selection, Louisville’s Tyler Shough.

A number of rival groups questioned within the days main as much as the draft whether or not the Saints had been a candidate to maneuver up into the again finish of the primary spherical to pick a quarterback. The New York Giants would achieve this, buying and selling as much as choose Dart at No. 25. The Saints selected to stay affected person, getting Shough at No. 40. Now the 25-year-old rookie is likely to be their most suitable choice.

Flashback: New Saints head coach Kellen Moore confronted Derek Carr in faculty

Try highlights from Kellen Moore and Boise State beating Derek Carr and Fresno State 57-7 again in 2011.

ONE DAY AFTER the season ended, Carr met the media. He addressed his contract, telling ESPN he wouldn’t take a pay lower however can be joyful to restructure his contract to assist the workforce. He mentioned the small print of his hand damage, saying he would not want surgical procedure, however didn’t point out a shoulder drawback.

“I am in all probability nonetheless a bit of bit away from getting cleared from all of that stuff,” Carr mentioned. “I did all the pieces I might to try to be on the market. I am appreciative to the group and Coach Rizz for giving me that probability. … It got here all the way down to, I simply could not maintain a soccer. That is type of vital to do.

“The No. 1 factor is that I’ve to get wholesome. I’ve obtained to deal with myself after which, the remainder after that, is absolutely out of my palms.”

No matter his deep-seated ideas about retirement, Carr struck a optimistic tone a few future in New Orleans.

“I really feel enthusiastic about being right here as a result of I really feel like we lastly, not solely, the final 16, 17 video games, performed rather well, but additionally my spouse and I’ve been capable of do what we do in the neighborhood. … I am tremendous enthusiastic about this metropolis, our followers, this group.

“Hopefully during the last two years I’ve confirmed to everybody on this constructing that each one I care about is successful and that is what I need to do.”

Carr was already nicely on his technique to $200 million in profession earnings. He had performed by varied techniques and training staffs. Moore would have represented his seventh head coach and eighth playcaller since coming into the league in 2014. He has performed by many accidents — together with a severe one with the labrum that hadn’t even been recognized. Inside that context, his retirement ought to have maybe been unsurprising.

Saints seize Tyler Shough with the fortieth choose

The Saints choose Louisville QB Tyler Shough with the fortieth choose because the third quarterback off the board within the 2025 NFL draft.

As for a transfer to a different workforce, Carr’s $30 million in assured wage and $10 million roster bonus “actually did not assist” his attractiveness for a commerce, in accordance with a supply from a workforce available in the market for a quarterback. Cash would have difficult any commerce talks, had they intensified.

The Cleveland Browns determined to run it again with Joe Flacco whereas buying and selling for Kenny Pickett and drafting Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. The Titans, whose head coach Brian Callahan oversaw Carr’s quarterbacks room with the Raiders in 2018, chosen Cam Ward with the No. 1 choose. One other potential suitor, the Giants, rebuilt their QB room with Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston and Dart.

Carr’s greatest and maybe solely probability to be a QB1 was in New Orleans, earlier than the damage appeared to make all of it a moot level.

The Saints and Carr had agreed to maintain their discussions on his future non-public till at the least after the draft as they sorted issues out. “The actual fact there weren’t lots of leaks was by mutual consent,” mentioned a supply conversant in their conversations, including that Carr’s purpose was for the method to go easily for each events.

Whereas a high-ranking workforce supply wasn’t positive of the precise date when retirement grew to become the one viable choice, discussions on a contractual settlement took a while, of which the Saints did not have a lot as they laid the groundwork for his or her subsequent rookie class within the days earlier than the draft.

What the perimeters labored out: Carr would hold his $10 million roster bonus and the $28.5 million signing bonus obtained in 2023, and the Saints would get cap reduction from the $30 million in 2025 wage that Carr would forfeit. Carr didn’t need to earn a bloated wage in opposition to the workforce’s cap with no intention or chance of enjoying after surgical procedure. “Integrity issues to him,” mentioned a supply who is aware of Carr nicely.

Carr was initially set to depend $69 million in opposition to the wage cap subsequent yr, however his retirement advantages the Saints twofold: saving $30 million in money and getting his wage off the books faster. Had he remained on the workforce this season and been launched in 2026, the Saints doubtless would have made him a post-June 1 lower to unfold the cap hits into 2027.

An vital piece of context is that normal supervisor Mickey Loomis is 69 and has had his position for greater than 20 years, a actuality that has led some within the trade to specific a perception that the group is proof against stark change. A extra aggressive entrance workplace might need pushed the difficulty with Carr to discover a swifter resolution and made quarterback plans accordingly, an AFC government mentioned.

Saints launch 2025 schedule with a rowdy information convention

Saints coach Kellen Moore is joined on the podium by comic Rob Kazi to reveals the workforce’s schedule for the 2025 NFL season.

“They transfer slowly — that is simply the way in which they function,” the exec mentioned. “Which has labored for them for some time. However they may use a reboot. In the event that they go that route, they might want to begin buying and selling off veteran items in coaching camp.”

One workforce supply believes that the Saints at the least thought of scaling again the roster in an effort to rebuild two years in the past however that Loomis desires to make one final run at a winner. The Saints retained quite a lot of their older veterans, figuring out incentive-based contracts for gamers resembling Cameron Jordan (age 35) and Tyrann Mathieu (33), whose contracts are set to void subsequent season together with these of Taysom Hill (34) and Demario Davis (36).

And, to make sure, Loomis is used to successful. The Saints had been a perennial contender with Sean Payton on the sideline and Brees beneath heart within the mid-2000s.

“I feel they see issues because the NFC South continues to be very winnable and they’re ready to be underestimated now,” a veteran NFL personnel man mentioned. “They must rely closely on the run to achieve success this yr, in my view.”

Deepening the intrigue is a 2026 quarterback class thought of a lot deeper than this yr’s — one that might embody Texas quarterback Arch Manning, whose grandfather, Archie, was the No. 2 choose by the Saints in 1971, the final yr New Orleans used a first-round choose on a passer. That connection shouldn’t be misplaced on many in league circles.

Regardless of the future on the place holds, the sequence of occasions that introduced the Saints to a pivot level of their QB continuum, with a brand new coach left to reply questions in a mid-Might information convention concerning the unexpected retirement of the workforce’s No. 1 quarterback, was not on the radar of many within the constructing.

“Is that this what everyone anticipated? I do not suppose so,” a workforce supply mentioned.