Derek Carr isn't slamming the door on a return to the NFL. The four-time Pro Bowl quarterback, who hung up his cleats after the 2024 season due to a right shoulder injury, was pressed on his future during Friday's episode of Good Morning Football. His answer? A classic quarterback scramble—keep the play alive.
“I’ll never say never,” Carr said, per ClutchPoints. “It would take a special situation. There are multiple teams that reached out to me this offseason. And I won’t say who or how. They reached and gauged my interest and what I wanted to do. They were good solid football teams.”
Carr, who spent the bulk of his career with the Las Vegas Raiders before a two-year stint with the New Orleans Saints, retired with 41,245 passing yards, 257 touchdowns, and 112 interceptions. But retirement hasn't been quiet. Back in February, he floated the idea of a comeback—if the stars aligned.
“Would I do it? Yes. Would I do it for anybody? Absolutely not,” Carr said then. “Would I do it? Absolutely, I would. I told you two things: I 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.”
Five months later, his tune hasn't changed. On Good Morning Football, Carr doubled down: “I think I’m just at the point where I just want to win, man. If I were to do it, it would have to be a special team. But even then, it’s no guarantee.”
So which teams could be in play? The Indianapolis Colts and Minnesota Vikings jump out as potential fits, both boasting strong supporting casts. If either squad loses its starter—Daniel Jones in Indy or Kyler Murray in Minnesota—to injury, Carr could be a savvy insurance policy. At the very least, he'd provide a serviceable veteran presence under center.
But there's a catch: the Saints still hold Carr's contractual rights. New Orleans would need to release him or agree to a trade before he could suit up elsewhere. That’s a hurdle, but not an impossible one for a team desperate for quarterback depth.
Carr's situation echoes other recent retirement flirtations around the league. Just last week, speculation swirled about whether a Myles Garrett trade might lure Aaron Donald out of retirement. And while Carr isn't a defensive tackle, the principle is the same: elite talent rarely stays away for long when a contender comes calling.
For now, Carr is enjoying his time away from the grind. But with the 2026 season on the horizon, and multiple teams already sniffing around, don't be surprised if the veteran signal-caller gets that itch again. As he put it, “Never say never.”
