It’s a funny quote to say the least, but it also gives us a glimpse into Carr’s mindset as he was deciding on his future. He told Front Office Sports he could either undergo surgery and sit on the sidelines for a year or play through the shoulder issue. In the latter case, Carr said he would not be “near 100 percent.” Between his shoulder injury and the Saints eying up a potential rebuild, retirement made sense for both sides. Carr didn’t sound interested in returning when prompted, noting he was enjoying time on the beach with his kids when his agent asked him if he was still comfortable with his decision. He obviously said yes. Carr also said he would “absolutely” get into the media side of the NFL. All of this is to say Carr shouldn’t be expected to make a surprise return to football at any point.

This news comes from an article published by Jeremy Fowler and ESPN’s Saints writer, Katherine Terrell. According to the article, folks around the league do believe Carr is injured, but “not everyone believes it’s the full story” of why Carr opted for retirement. While Carr did not have permission to speak to teams, it’s reported that the team “didn’t consider it a major issue” due to his 11-year tenure in the league, and the fact that 2025 was the last year he would be receiving guaranteed money on his deal. In short, the Saints were likely headed for a split one way or another after the 2025 season. There are also some who believe that Carr and the Saints were not on good terms, in part due to his lack of a relationship with newly minted head coach Kellen Moore, who never officially committed to Carr as a starter. The two never even had a meeting in person. It’s been reported by ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio that it’s “extremely unlikely” Carr will return to play in 2026 — or ever again. That said, if his injured shoulder isn’t the sole reason for his departure, we can’t rule out a potential return if Carr, 34, gets the itch to play again.

Carr is reportedly “already making other professional plans.” Whatever those entail, they apparently do not involve using retirement as a quick dodge off the Saints roster. We’ll probably get rumors for another year or two about Carr, who would have been playing his age-34 season had he not retired suddenly on Saturday. But there’s no reason to expect him to return to the field at this point.

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.