Derek Carr gives huge career update after bombshell report about possible NFL comeback

A bombshell report from Super Bowl Sunday revealed that quarterback Derek Carr "could possibly unretire" for the 2026 campaign if the "right situation" emerged for him this offseason. 

During the latest edition of his podcast, Carr sent quite a message to interested teams. 

Derek Carr confirms whether or not he would make an NFL comeback

"Would I come back? The answer, obviously, is yes," Carr said. Interestingly, Carr also shared that he has "had to say no a couple times so far" during this process. 

Carr retired in May 2025 due to reasons related to a significant shoulder injury, but he teased this past September that he hadn't yet taken the final meaningful in-game snap of his career. While the New Orleans Saints still hold Carr's rights, NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated mentioned earlier this week that "Carr’s leverage in forcing a trade would be that his return from retirement would have serious cap implications" that "would force the Saints to play ball with him on a move."

What teams could talk Derek Carr into coming out of retirement?

Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith noted that it's unknown if the Saints have given Carr permission to speak with other teams about a potential NFL comeback. For what it's worth, it sounds like some clubs shouldn't bother reaching out to Carr's camp. 

"Would I do it? Yes," Carr added about playing during the 2026 season. "Would I do it for anybody? Absolutely not. I’d 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." 

The Pittsburgh Steelers are coming off a trip to the playoffs and seemingly don't yet know if 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers will serve as their QB1 later this year. It's no secret that the Minnesota Vikings are also looking to acquire some competition for current starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy. That said, one would think that Carr would want to be guaranteed a starting gig after he spent the 2025 season watching games and fully recovering from his shoulder setback.