New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr stunned the league last month by abruptly retiring.
Carr knew he was in a predicament regarding his shoulder injury and NFL future. The 34-year-old is dealing with a shoulder injury that required surgery, which would sideline him for the 2025 season.
If Carr did stay in the league, he would be stuck on the sidelines, something he didn’t want to do.
Instead, carr chose to give up $30 million by choosing not to have surgery to repair a shoulder injury and miss the 2025 season.
There was a reason for that.
“I didn’t want to have surgery and just sit there and — it sounds crazy, but — just take the Saints money,” Derek Carr told David Rumsey of FrontOfficeSports.com.
He had to choose between having surgery and not playing, or not having surgery and trying to play.
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“I wouldn’t have been able to play if I had the surgery,” Carr told Rumsey.
“And then if I tried to play with it, I wasn’t near 100 percent, and so that doesn’t help them, either. I just felt like it was the right thing to do for myself and for the team.”
“I never played just for the money,” Carr continued. “I had a whole bunch of people tell me how crazy I was, and ‘man, I would never have done that.’
“That’s all cool, but I’ve gained all these things that the world has to offer, and it doesn’t really do anything for your heart. I knew my heart was at peace, and that’s really all that mattered.”
Fans Praise Derek Carr For Not Taking The Saints’ Money
“Interesting take that by Carr not taking money he earned, he is somehow a class act. Gayle Benson is worth $6 billion and she is literally just sitting there and making money doing nothing. What if a pipe welder or landscaper gets hurt on the job and goes on workers comp does that make them bad guys for taking money while just sitting there?” one fan said.
Interesting take that by Carr not taking money he earned he is somehow a class act. Gayle Benson is worth $6 billion and she is literally just sitting there and making money doing nothing. What if a pipe welder or landscaper gets hurt on the job and goes on workers comp does…
— Policy Error (@cantstopstupid1) June 5, 2025
“Respect for the integrity. Many players would’ve taken the money and run. Shows why Carr was a leader even in tough times,” a second fan stated.
Respect for the integrity. Many players would've taken the money and run. Shows why Carr was a leader even in tough times.
— Treegens🌳 (@thetreegens) June 5, 2025
“99.9% of people would milk it at this stage of his career so major respect knowing he couldn’t recover and retiring instead,” a third fan said of Carr’s decision.
99.9% of people would milk it at this stage of his career so major respect knowing he couldn’t recover and retiring instead
— Aamir (@aamirl_) June 5, 2025
“Derek Carr is A stand up, honest man. Congratulations to him on his retirement. 💯,” a fourth fan commented.
Derek Carr is A stand up honest man. Congratulations to him on his retirement. 💯 pic.twitter.com/Ut4Xz0H2qT
— ŘĮ (@UDONTKNOWRI) June 5, 2025
“Carr is an outstanding person and a devoted real Christian. I am not surprised by this. He went through a lot of craziness with the Raiders organization and stayed true. Good man😊,” one final fan wrote.
Carr is an outstanding person and a devoted real Christian. I am not surprised by this. He went through a lot of craziness with the Raiders organization and stayed true. Good man😊
— Steve Johnson (@SJohn_1974) June 5, 2025
