NEW ORLEANS — The retirement papers might need a shredder. Less than a year after walking away from the New Orleans Saints with a shredded shoulder, Derek Carr is throwing smoke signals and footballs once again. The 34-year-old quarterback confirmed on Sunday that he’s not just open to a return; he’s actively listening.
The caveat? He’s not coming back just to hold a clipboard.
The Podcast Bombshell
Carr didn’t use a press conference to drop the news. He used a microphone in his own living room. Speaking on his Home Grown with David & Derek Carr podcast, the veteran passer addressed the whispers circulating among NFL insiders.
“Would I do it? Yes. Would I do it for anybody? Absolutely not,” Carr said, his voice steady. “I have to be healthy, and I’d want a chance to win a Super Bowl.”
That “healthy” part isn’t just talk. Carr walked away last spring staring down the barrel of a nasty labral tear in his rotator cuff. Surgery would have wiped out his 2025 season. Retirement offered a graceful exit. But after a year of rest, his brother David Carr claims Derek is back to full strength—a claim Derek confirmed with a knowing chuckle.
The Saints Hold the Cards
Here is where things get sticky. Carr didn’t leave as a free agent; he left on a “retirement pact.” That means the New Orleans Saints still control his contract rights. If a team wants him, they have to go through GM Mickey Loomis.
The Insiders reported that the Saints wouldn’t be “unreasonable” with their asking price. Why? Because the Tyler Shough era has officially arrived in the Big Easy. The second-year QB cemented his role as the starter last season, leaving Carr with zero future in the dome. New Orleans would likely welcome the draft capital.
Purple Rain or Just Reign?
The juiciest nugget from the podcast wasn’t about health—it was about colors. David Carr cracked several jokes about Derek joining a “purple and gold” squad. He claimed he was talking about the Lakers. Nobody bought it.
The Minnesota Vikings fit the description perfectly. They need a seasoned vet to push J.J. McCarthy, who is entering a pivotal third year. The fit makes too much sense to ignore: a warm-weather QB moving to a dome to helm an offense loaded with weapons.
“I had to say no a couple of times so far… That’s hard to do. That’s not easy.”
— Derek Carr, via Home Grown Podcast
What’s Next: The Trade Market Heats Up
The Cincinnati Bengals already kicked the tires when Joe Burrow went down with turf toe, proving the market for Carr exists. But with the draft approaching, teams like the Vikings (or even the Raiders, if they pass on a QB at No. 1) could get desperate.
Carr controls his destiny regarding where he wants to play, but the Saints control the how. Expect a game of chicken between New Orleans and any suitor—especially if that suitor is an NFC rival like Atlanta. For now, Carr stays ready, and the NFL awaits its next QB domino.
