A second-round pick by the Oakland Raiders in 2014, Carr was a starter from Day 1. The Fresno State product spent nine years with the Raiders, compiling a 63-79 career record in Oakland and Las Vegas. He passed for 35,222 yards and 217 touchdowns with 99 interceptions, earning four Pro Bowl nods along the way.
Carr holds the Raiders franchise records for most passing yards, completion percentage (64.6%), passing TDs (217), highest passer rating (91.8), and lowest interception percentage (2.0%) — minimum 1,500 pass attempts with Raiders.
Carr was selected to the Pro Bowl in three of his first four seasons, one of 14 QBs in NFL history to do so, per NFL Research. Carr finished third in AP MVP voting in 2016 (12-3 W-L, 28 pass TDs and six INTs), though he did not finish the season due to a broken leg.
The strong-armed passer was a lightning rod during his time with the Raiders. He was seen by some as a player who couldn’t get the club over the hump — just two team playoff appearances. Others defended Carr by noting that the organization never adequately surrounded him with talent, and the consistent coaching churning offered zero consistency.
His time with the Raiders ended in 2022, when the club, coached by Josh McDaniels, benched Carr for the season’s final two games to avoid injury that would guarantee money on his contract as they planned to part ways. After Carr declined to waive his no-trade clause, the Raiders released him in Feb. 2023. He subsequently signed a four-year, $150 million contract with the Saints, reuniting with former Raiders head coach Dennis Allen.
Carr generated a 14-13 record while throwing for 6,023 yards, 40 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in his two tumultuous seasons with the Saints. In his final season in New Orleans, he played just 10 games while battling multiple injuries.
Carr completed 28 career fourth quarter comebacks, which ties him for 14th-most in NFL history, and is tied for most by any QB since 2014 (Matthew Stafford).
Carr finishes his 11-year career with 41,245 passing yards, 257 touchdown passes and 112 interceptions.
By retiring, Carr forgoes the $30 million guaranteed this season on his contract, while the Saints won’t seek reimbursement for the $10 million roster bonus and signing bonus, Rapoport reported.
The retirement is expected to help clear up a littered Saints cap situation in 2026, with minimal change to 2025.
It also completely clears the runway for second-round rookie Tyler Shough to take over QB1 duties without looking over his shoulder at a rehabbing veteran.
Turning 26 in September, Shough owns a live arm and is a prototypical build. He’s the target that new coach Kellen Moore glowed about following the draft. The Saints hope the rookie stops the consistent churning of quarterbacks.
Since Drew Brees retired following the 2020 season, eight different players have started a game for the Saints, second-most in the NFL behind only the Browns with 11): Derek Carr (27), Andy Dalton (14), Jameis Winston (10), Spencer Rattler (6), Taysom Hill (5), Trevor Siemian (4), Ian Book (1) and Jake Haener (1). Shough likely makes it nine.
With Carr retiring and the Saints recently releasing Ben DiNucci, Moore’s QB room is uber-young. Shough is in line to start as a rookie. Second-year fifth-round pick Rattler and third-year fourth-round pick Haener will battle for backup duties. Adding a veteran presence to the mix makes sense at some point, with Carr officially out of the picture.
