Why did Derek Carr retire? Explaining New Orleans Saints quarterback’s shocking NFL career decision

Derek Carr has shockingly announced his retirement from playing in the NFL.

This is a huge change for the New Orleans Saints organization, which many had pegged Carr to be the locked-in starter in Week 1.

This leaves the Saints in a real predicament at quarterback, leaving the room to Spencer Rattler, Tyler Shough, and Jake Haener for the 2025 season.

Why did Derek Carr retire?

The Saints organization announced it was due to a shoulder injury, stating that “In late March, while ramping up his preparation for the 2025 season, Derek experienced pain in his right shoulder. It was his first time throwing a football at significant volume since recovering from both a concussion and left hand injury sustained during play on December 8, 2024. Derek immediately contacted the Saints Medical Team.

Eventually, medical scans determined objectively that Derek sustained a labral tear and also had significant degenerative changes to his rotator cuff.

Since that time, Derek, his representation, the Saints Medical Team and outside medical experts have worked together to determine the best path forward. Surgery was an option, jeopardizing the entire 2025 season, yet there was no guarantee Derek would return to the level of strength, function and performance of play to which he was accustomed.

Upon consultation with his wife, Heather, Derek has decided it is in the best interests of both his family and the Saints organization to retire from the National Football League,” per The New Orleans Saints X

What do the Saints do after Derek Carr’s retirement?

Currently on the depth chart, there are Rattler, Haener, and the newly acquired second-round pick Shough, out of Louisville.

Preferably, the best of all these quarterback options is the rookie.

Shough is probably the most NFL-ready in the Saints’ particular situation. But does this team want to try and compete for a division title, knowing players like Arch Manning are coming sooner or later?

Not entirely sure, but if you’re trying to put a competent NFL team on the field, you start Shough. The team gives him the time to fully grasp the offense as a whole.

He only has one year of tape at Louisville, but that tape is good enough that they don’t need to see more from Rattler or Haener.

The Saints drafted Shough for a reason – they believed in his ability to start right from the get-go if Carr wasn’t ready for the regular season.