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3w ago

Derek Carr Explains $30 Million Exit, Leaves Door Open to a Future Return

Carr says debilitating shoulder damage, coupled with family concerns, led him to retire despite a guaranteed 2025 salary.

Derek Carr #4 of the New Orleans Saints looks on from the field during warmups prior to an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Caesars Superdome on December 29, 2024 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
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Overview

  • On The Dan Patrick Show, Carr said walking away from roughly $30 million "wasn't easy" and credited his wife for urging him to stop after witnessing his postgame pain.
  • Saints medical tests found a labral tear and significant degenerative changes in his right rotator cuff, with surgery projected to sideline him for 2025 without assurance of a full return.
  • Carr retired in May rather than undergo surgery, forfeiting his fully guaranteed 2025 base salary; some outlets reported he had already received a $10 million March roster bonus.
  • He is rehabbing and training, throwing lightly as part of shoulder recovery, and said he "wouldn't say never" to playing again but emphasized, "right now, today, I'm not coming back," noting his agent asked for time through Thanksgiving.
  • Carr has begun media work, debuting as a studio analyst on YouTube’s Chiefs–Chargers broadcast, after an 11-year career that included four Pro Bowls and more than $205 million in earnings.