derek carr
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Former Las Vegas Raiders QB Derek Carr.
Former Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr made a surprise announcement before last season when he revealed that he was going to retire from football. He’s only 34, so he could likely physically play for a few more seasons.
The New Orleans Saints have been a struggling franchise, and he was dealing with a major shoulder injury, so instead of getting surgery, he opted out of the season. That doesn’t mean that he’s actually done playing football.
NFL.com reported recently that Carr is interested in a possible return. After a season off, he should be a lot healthier. That said, he’s not going to return for the sake of returning.
Carr has addressed the return rumors. He made it clear that they are true, but he’s only willing to do it in the right situation.
“Would I do it? Yes. Would I do it for anybody? Absolutely not,” Carr said on the “Home Grown” podcast. “I’d 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.”
According to Carr, teams have already reached out, but he’s turned them down.
“I had to say no a couple times so far,” Carr said.
Which Team Could Fit Carr’s Desires?
Carr wanting to compete for a Super Bowl likely rules out teams like the New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals or Cleveland Browns. The Raiders also aren’t Super Bowl contenders, but Carr could probably be convinced to return to them due to his ties to the franchise.
The Indianapolis Colts might be the most obvious fit. They looked like Super Bowl contenders before Daniel Jones ruptured his Achilles. Jones isn’t under contract, and there’s a chance he’s going to miss much of the 2026 season.
Out of the teams that need a quarterback that could potentially contend for a Super Bowl, the Colts might be Carr’s best option. The Pittsburgh Steelers are another team to watch. Aaron Rodgers will likely retire this offseason, which means they have a huge need at quarterback. It might be better for them to bottom out so they can finally draft a quarterback of the future, but knowing Pittsburgh, they’ll likely make a run at a veteran like Carr.
Could Carr Choose Coaching?
Carr has also spoken a lot about how he’d like to get into coaching at some point. If that happens, that likely closes the door on his NFL playing career.
Is that a decision he’s ready to make? He’s only going to be young enough to play football for a few more years. He can coach until he’s in his 70s.
There’s been talk that he could join Klint Kubiak’s staff on the Raiders, but it’s looking like he’ll favor trying to play this season. It could take a while for Carr to ultimately make a decision. He could choose to wait until the season to see if a star quarterback gets hurt, and he can step in and replace them on a good team.