Derek Carr leaves door open to NFL return months after $30 million retirement decision

Derek Carr said he would not categorically rule out a return to the NFL, leaving open the possibility of a comeback months after he surprised the league by retiring and forfeiting a fully guaranteed $30 million salary for 2025.

In an interview with Dan Patrick, Carr, 34, said "I wouldn’t say never," and added that his approach to training keeps the option alive. "Because I’ve learned that when I say never, it usually happens. I think we’ve all probably learned that. For me, I’m training because I love to train. That’s going to be the rest of my life. I love to train." He also told Patrick that while he throws a ball occasionally as part of shoulder rehab and coaches his sons' youth team, "I’ll be ready, but I’m not coming back. Right now, today, I’m not coming back."

Carr announced his retirement in May while a member of the New Orleans Saints after being advised he would need another shoulder surgery. He accepted a $10 million roster bonus that had been paid in March and forgave the fully guaranteed $30 million salary that would have been due in 2025. The decision ended a season in which Carr had been injured in a game against the New York Giants; he had thrown for 2,145 yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions in 10 games before the injury. Carr is a four-time Pro Bowl selection.

Since retiring, Carr has taken on media work, serving as an analyst on a YouTube broadcast of the Chiefs vs. Chargers game and hosting a podcast with his brother, former No. 1 overall pick David Carr. He said part of his retirement routine includes coaching the fourth- through sixth-grade Clovis Christian Warriors, where his two sons play, and that he sometimes impersonates his former coach, Jon Gruden.

The Saints entered the season with uncertainty at quarterback following Carr’s retirement. New Orleans has turned to Spencer Rattler, a fifth-round pick, after second-round rookie Tyler Shough failed to secure the starting job. The Saints lost their season opener to the Arizona Cardinals, 20-13; Rattler completed 27 of 46 passes for 214 yards in that game.

Carr’s comments to Patrick come amid a broader trend of recent retirements and returns in the NFL, where veteran players have sometimes reversed decisions when health, roster openings or other circumstances change. Carr emphasized that his training regimen and rehab work are ongoing but reiterated that he is not planning an immediate return. He said he wants to remain ready if circumstances or his own perspective shift, but for now he is focused on family, coaching and his media projects.

Any potential return would raise immediate roster and salary-cap questions for teams in need of an experienced quarterback, and it would require Carr to pass medical evaluations related to his shoulder. As of his interview with Patrick, Carr had not set a timetable for any decision and had not been publicly linked to interest from specific NFL teams.