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You should never say never, right? At least that’s what Derek Carr said.
Carr, 35, retired in May 2025 after 11 seasons, but the four-time Pro Bowler said several teams tried to bring him back on the field.
“I had several teams contact me in the offseason. I won’t say who or how, but they contacted me and were just gauging my interest on what I wanted to do. They were good, solid football teams,” Carr said during a recent appearance on NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football.”
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New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr walks on the field before a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Matthew Hinton/Imagn Images)
Carr did not rule out the possibility of a return, but said it would take a “special situation” to return.
“I never say never, it would take a special situation,” Carr said.
“I think I’m just at the point where I just want to win. I want to win,” Carr said. “So if I were to do it, it would have to be a special team that maybe lost someone or needed someone, but even then it’s not guaranteed.”
Carr said he always works out and stays in shape, but enjoys being a husband and father.
“I’m having too much fun spending time with my wife, spending time with my kids and trying to get good at golf. So it would need a special offer.”
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New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) looks to pass the ball during an NFL football game against the New York Giants in East Rutherford, New Jersey on December 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger, file)
The Saints signed Carr to a four-year, $150 million contract in 2023 and still hold his rights, meaning if he returned, a team would have to acquire him from the Saints. The Saints, who drafted quarterback Tyler Shough in the 2025 NFL Draft, would presumably be willing to facilitate a trade after Shough impressed.
Even if Carr had played last season, he might not have taken over due to multiple shoulder injuries. In March 2025, while Carr was preparing for the season, he felt pain in his right shoulder.
The Saints announced that medical examinations determined that Carr suffered a labral tear and had significant degenerative changes to his rotator cuff. The team’s medical staff and Carr considered shoulder surgery, but there was no guarantee the quarterback would have the same strength, function and performance he was accustomed to.
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New Orleans Saints tight end Taysom Hill, left, celebrates a touchdown with quarterback Derek Carr (4) in the second half of an NFL football game in New Orleans, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Gérald Herbert)
In Carr’s final season, he played in 10 games and completed 67.7% of his passes for 2,145 yards with 15 touchdowns and five interceptions. The Saints went 5-5 in his starts.
Carr’s season was cut short when he suffered a concussion and injured left hand in the same game against the New York Giants.
In 169 career regular season games, Carr has a 77-92 record, a 65.1% completion percentage, and has totaled 41,245 yards with 257 touchdowns and 112 interceptions. He spent nine seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders and two with the Saints.
