Derek Carr confirms multiple team inquiries, Saints hold his rights in any potential return

Multiple NFL teams contacted retired quarterback Derek Carr this offseason to gauge his interest in returning, Carr disclosed on NFL Network's "Good Morning Football." The 35-year-old four-time Pro Bowler retired in May 2025 after 11 seasons and said it would take a "special situation" to come back, but he did not close the door.

The rights picture

New Orleans still holds Carr's contract. The Saints signed him to a four-year, $150 million deal in 2023, and any team seeking his services would first need to negotiate a trade with New Orleans. Carr cannot sign elsewhere on his own.

The Saints drafted quarterback Tyler Shough in the 2025 NFL draft, and Shough made a favorable early impression on the organization. That makes New Orleans a probable willing seller. Any acquiring team still has to clear trade terms with the Saints before Carr goes anywhere.

The health file

The retirement itself followed a serious injury. In March 2025, while Carr prepared for the season, medical scans revealed a labral tear and significant degenerative changes to his rotator cuff in his right shoulder. The Saints' medical staff weighed surgical options, but there was no guarantee he would recover his prior strength, function, or performance. His 2024 season had already ended when he suffered a concussion and a left hand injury on the same play against the New York Giants.

In 10 games that season, Carr completed 67.7% of his passes for 2,145 yards with 15 touchdowns and five interceptions. The Saints went 5-5 in those starts.

What Carr said and what to watch

Carr told NFL Network he continues to train and stay in shape. He described the teams that reached out as "good, solid football teams" but declined to identify them. His stated threshold for a return: a contending team that lost a starter or needed a quarterback, with winning as the only condition that matters. Even that, he said, would not guarantee a comeback.

He added that he is enjoying time with his wife and children and working on his golf game. The bar is set high, but it exists.

Over 169 career regular-season games, Carr compiled a 77-92 record, a 65.1% completion rate, 41,245 passing yards, 257 touchdowns, and 112 interceptions across nine seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders and two with New Orleans.

The next confirmable step: a trade request or formal negotiation between a named suitor and the Saints.