New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr walks off the field after field after an injury during the fourth quarter. Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Buccaneers' division-rival Saints QB makes surprising announcement

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Buccaneers on SI
By River Wells | Last updated May 10, 2025 11:08 AM ET

Injuries are a part of the game of football, but unfortunately, some are too great to overcome — and that appears to be the case for an NFC South quarterback.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have dueled with New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees for quite some time, but after Brees retired in 2020, New Orleans hit a new era. They tried to get by with signal callers like Jameis Winston and Andy Dalton, but eventually, the team settled on Derek Carr, who had a solid tenure with the Raiders and looked to bring the team back to competitive heights.

Unfortunately, that wasn't to be, and now, Carr is walking away from the game entirely. Carr announced his retirement from football on Saturday after suffering what the Saints described as a "labral tear and... significant degenerative changes to his rotator cuff" in the offseason.

Derek Carr has announced his retirement. pic.twitter.com/WqcaVkSD60
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 10, 2025

Carr put out a statement after making his decision:

"Upon reflection of prayer, and in discussion with Heather, I’ve decided to retire from the National Football League. For more than 11 years, we have been incredibly blessed, and we are forever grateful and humbled by this experience. It’s difficult to find the right words to express our thanks to all the teammates, coaches, management, ownership, team officials and especially the fans who made this journey so special. Your unwavering support has meant the world to us.”

Carr only played the Buccaneers twice as a member of the Saints, both times in 2023 — he lost his first game against the Bucs that year but won the second in Week 18 on New Year's Eve. He played 10 games last season, but he missed both games against the Buccaneers due to injury and the Saints lost both of those games. He played four total games against the Bucs and went 2-2 between his time with the Raiders and Saints, throwing for 1,121 yards, 8 touchdowns and 1 interception against Tampa Bay.

Now, it appears the Buccaneers will either face off against new Saints draft pick Tyler Shough or 2024 Saints draft pick Spencer Rattler, the latter of whom the Buccaneers beat twice in 2024.