Updated

Updated · Fox News · Jul 11

Derek Carr Says Multiple NFL Teams Pursued Comeback 14 Months After $150 Million Saints Deal

Updated

Updated · Fox News · Jul 11

Derek Carr Says Multiple NFL Teams Pursued Comeback 14 Months After $150 Million Saints Deal

Q: Which NFL contender is the 'special situation' that could lure Derek Carr out of his retirement?

No specific contender has been identified. Based on Carr’s own comments and the available reporting, the “special situation” is not a named team but a scenario: a legitimate playoff or Super Bowl contender that suddenly needs a quarterback, most likely because of an injury. Carr said he would only consider returning if he could join a “special team that maybe lost somebody or needed somebody,” and stressed that, at this stage, he would come back only because he “just want[s] to win.” He also said several “good, solid football teams” have checked in, but he did not reveal which ones. The broader reporting points to the same answer. There is speculation about teams such as the Vikings, Texans or Cardinals, but none has been confirmed as the team that could draw him back, and some do not cleanly fit his stated requirement of joining a true contender in urgent need. The clearest trigger would be an in-season or preseason injury to a starting quarterback on a strong team. Any comeback would also be complicated by the fact that the Saints still hold Carr’s rights, meaning a return would require New Orleans to trade him. Given the Saints’ commitment to Tyler Shough, that obstacle appears manageable if the right contender emerges. So, the best answer is that there is no known team yet—only the possibility of a contender losing its starter and presenting Carr with a real chance to win immediately.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 11

Multiple NFL teams contacted Derek Carr this offseason about returning, the retired 35-year-old quarterback said, though he stressed any comeback would require a “special situation.”
Carr said he wants a contender and is still training, but added family life and golf make a return far from certain.
Any move would be complicated by New Orleans still holding his rights under the four-year, $150 million contract he signed in 2023, meaning another team would need to acquire him from the Saints.
Carr retired in May 2025 after shoulder damage that included a labral tear and rotator-cuff degeneration; he last played 10 games in 2024, throwing for 2,145 yards and 15 touchdowns.