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Derek Carr’s open to coming back – but he’s not putting on a helmet for just anyone.
“Would I do it? Yes. Would I do it for anybody? Absolutely not,” Carr said on the “Home Grown” podcast he hosts with his brother David. The episode dropped Thursday, and it’s already making waves around the league.
The 34-year-old quarterback made it clear he’s got two non-negotiables if he’s going to unretire. Health comes first — and it sounds like that’s not an issue anymore. His brother David actually joked on the podcast about how hard Derek’s throwing these days, which tells you everything you need to know about where his shoulder’s at.
The second requirement? A real shot at winning a Super Bowl.
“I told you two things: I have to be healthy, and I’d want a chance to win a Super Bowl. And obviously, that’s a tough thing to find. That’s hard to do. That’s not easy,” he explained.
Carr stepped away from the NFL back in May while with the New Orleans Saints. The team said he was dealing with a labral tear and “significant degenerative changes to his rotator cuff.” Those aren’t minor issues for a quarterback — but based on what his brother’s saying now, Carr’s apparently bounced back.
There’s a wrinkle here for any team that might be interested, though. Carr retired with two years still left on his Saints contract. That means New Orleans still holds his rights; any team wanting to bring him in would need to work out trade compensation with the Saints first.
His final season in 2024 saw him throw for 2,145 yards across 10 games with the Saints. He tossed 15 touchdowns against just five interceptions — solid numbers for a guy who was clearly dealing with shoulder problems.
Over his career, the four-time Pro Bowler (all those selections came during his time with the Raiders) has put up 41,245 passing yards. He’s thrown 257 touchdowns and 112 interceptions across his entire NFL run.
So which team could actually make sense? That’s the question everyone’s asking now. Carr’s made it clear he’s not chasing a paycheck or looking to be a placeholder. He wants a ring — and at 34 with shoulder issues in his recent past, you can’t blame him for being selective.
