Derek Carr shockingly announced his retirement this Saturday following a tough period of injury struggles.
The veteran quarterback is calling it quits after 11 seasons in the NFL, and he’s leaving a lot of money on the table to do so.
According to ProFootballTalk, the player’s retirement is part of a solution Carr and the New Orleans Saints reached after months of trying to figure out the best way forward, with the QB having sustained a shoulder injury during rehab for a previous problem.
Derek Carr's retirement comes with a financial agreement between player and team. He keeps a $10M roster bonus earned in March, he gives up $30M in guaranteed pay for 2025, and he owes nothing back from his original $28.5M signing bonus. https://t.co/bSeQ75qvNN
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) May 10, 2025
Carr is walking away from a fully-guaranted $30 million but gets to keep the $10 million roster bonus he got in March. The Saints also won’t look to recover the remaining allocation of his $28.5 million signing bonus from 2023.
“Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Carr’s retirement comes with an agreement regarding his contract,” PFT notes. “In a nutshell, he’ll give up $30 million in fully-guaranteed pay. That was his base salary for 2025, which the Saints opted to convert to a mostly-prorated payment in March.”
The report adds, “Carr will keep a $10 million roster bonus he earned in March. Also, the Saints will not seek recovery of the remaining allocation of his $28.5 million signing bonus, which he received in 2023.”
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Derek Carr Could Have Kept His $30 Million To Play No Football Next Season
The four-time Pro Bowler could have gone under the knife and collected the $30 million while not seeing the field all of next season, and then decided on his future later on.
His retirement allows him to put off surgery, or not have it at all, and forego the grueling rehab process.
Furthermore, the $10 million bonus leaves him with total career earnings of over $200 million, even if he’s losing that $30 million in what would have been guaranteed money.
Also Read: New Heartbreaking Report Reveals Real Reason Why Derek Carr Had To Retire
