Saints QB Derek Carr retires at age 34

There was significant news in the National Football League over the weekend. According to Michael Gallagher of Athlon Sports on Sunday, New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr of Fresno, California suddenly retired at the age of 34.

The reason for Carr’s retirement was due to pain in his right shoulder according to the Associated Press. He also had oblique, hand and head injuries that forced him to miss seven games.

Carr signed a massive four-year deal worth $150 million prior to the 2023 season with the Saints. He did have a base salary of $1.255 million in 2025 and $40 million in 2026.

This past season, Carr completed 189 passes in 279 attempts for a pass completion percentage of 67.7%. He had 2145 passing yards, 15 passing touchdowns and five interceptions. Carr also had 17 rushes for 71 rushing yards and one touchdown. The rushing touchdown was for one yard and came in a 44-19 Saints win over the Dallas Cowboys on September 15.

In Carr’s career, he completed 3765 passes in 5785 attempts for 41245 passing yards, 257 touchdowns and 112 interceptions. He also had 327 rushes for 956 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns.

Carr was selected to the Pro Bowl four times. He was honoured while with the Oakland Raiders for three straight years from 2015 to 2017, and once with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022.

At the collegiate level, Carr also had great success. He was a star quarterback for the Fresno State Bulldogs in the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Carr was the Mountain West Conference Player of the Year in 2012 and 2013, won the Sammy Baugh Trophy in 2023 (presented to the top collegiate passer), and had his number four retired by the Bulldogs in 2017.