In a stunning move, Saints quarterback Derek Carr is retiring from the NFL after 11 seasons according to Nick Underhill of neworleansfootball.com.
Wow, to put it mildly. The news was announced by the team itself. Saints insider Nick Underhill reports Carr “tried all his options to get back on the field and ultimately decided against having another surgery and will retire.” He also reports the Saints will “recoup the money from this offseason’s restructure and will get cap relief.”
In a statement, the team said Carr was dealing with a “labral tear and also had significant degenerative changes to his rotator cuff,” and that surgery would not guarantee a return to full effectiveness. It’s a sad end for a player who spent most of his career overachieving, though perhaps not surprising. Carr, who almost never missed time before last season, had grown increasingly prone to playing through injury. It apparently was no longer sustainable.
Carr never won a playoff game but qualified for four Pro Bowls. He was ultimately a high-floor, limited-ceiling player who maximized every ounce of his talent to start over a decade in the league. Carr’s retirement means rookie second-rounder Tyler Shough will now begin the season as Saints starter barring something truly surprising happening in training camp.