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Derek Carr ‘very serious’ about coming out of retirement

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Renzo Pocholo Salao | Last updated Feb 25, 2026 7:49 PM ET

The return of Philip Rivers last season may have inspired another former quarterback to want to do the same.

4-time Pro Bowl QB Derek Carr is reportedly “very serious” about making an NFL comeback. According to NFL reporter Jordan Schultz, there is a “strong belief” among NFL teams that Carr is interested in coming out of retirement for the right team. Per the report, there is “real interest” in Carr’s services.

Sources: In talking to teams in the QB market, there’s a strong belief former #Saints QB Derek Carr is very serious about unretiring and returning to the NFL in 2026.

Carr’s rights belong to the Saints, but teams with winning aspirations have real interest in the former 4x Pro… pic.twitter.com/bWlho5qMrE
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) February 25, 2026

Carr’s rights still belong to the New Orleans Saints, meaning any team that wants to acquire Carr would likely have to give up some draft compensation to do so.

There were rumblings earlier this month about Carr’s desire to play again. He later qualified those reports, indicating that he would only do so under two conditions: that he was 100% healthy and that the team signing him had serious Super Bowl aspirations.

The 34-year-old QB made the stunning decision to retire last offseason after it was revealed that he needed season-ending shoulder surgery. Carr stated that he did not want to “just take the Saints’ money” while sitting out the entire season.

After a year of recovery, Carr may finally be ready to take a Super Bowl contender’s team’s money.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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