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Following Derek Carr's shocking retirement, the New Orleans Saints are suddenly left without a quarterback. While the move presumably leaves the team in the hands of rookie Tyler Shough, there are still a lot of unanswered questions that the now-retired veteran is leaving open-ended.
Since hanging up the cleats, Carr has not spoken to any reporters about his decision, according to ESPN. Despite multiple attempts to reach out for his side of the story, all efforts to contact Carr continue to be “unsuccessful.”
The 11-year veteran posted multiple statements on social media but has been out of the limelight since. Many have been asked similar questions on behalf of Carr, including Saints general manager Mickey Loomis and head coach Kellen Moore, but have opted not to give any direct responses.
Carr did not give a direct reason for his retirement in any of his statements, but his health is presumably the driving factor. The 34-year-old missed seven games in 2024 and revealed he had been nursing a serious shoulder injury over the offseason. His injury was believed to be the main reason why the Saints took Shough with their second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Saints' quarterback room in shambles with Derek Carr retirement
Without Carr in the mix, the Saints are left in a precarious situation. Shough presumably leads what is left of the quarterback room, followed closely by returning second-year players Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener.
Unless New Orleans adds another signal-caller to its roster, one of the three young passers will be thrust into a massive opportunity. Rattler and Haener both have experience starting games in 2024, though neither has had much success. Rattler, a former five-star recruit, statistically was the more efficient player, but went 0-6 as a starter.
The 25-year-old Shough has more experience and maturity than a typical rookie, but was not seen as a potential day-one starter throughout the pre-draft process. However, as a second-round pick, he may be forced into that role, with the Saints seemingly seeing enough in him to invest a decent amount of their future in his arm.
