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Derek Carr unretiring rumors: 'Teams with winning aspirations' showing interest, per report

Danby: Daniel Hager02/25/26DanielHagerOn3

Four-time NFL Pro Bowl quarterback Derek Carr is reportedly ‘very serious’ about un-retiring and returning to the league for the 2026 season, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported Wednesday night.

Carr last played 10 games with the New Orleans Saints in 2024. If a team were interested in bringing in the Fresno State alum, it would have to complete a trade with the Saints. They certainly would not welcome back Carr as their franchise quarterback, as rookie Tyler Shough had a strong 2025 campaign and is seemingly the future of the franchise.

Across 11 NFL seasons, Carr boasts 41,245 passing yards, 257 passing touchdowns, and 112 interceptions.

“As quarterback injuries mounted this season and into the playoffs, teams conducted due diligence on Carr, trying to gather information as to whether the former Saints franchise passer would consider coming out of retirement,” NFL insiders (Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo) reported on Feb. 8. “The Bengals, for instance, contacted Carr after Joe Burrow went down with his turf toe injury. That work continues, and an offseason of quarterback uncertainty — with limited options in free agency, trades and the draft — makes Carr a possible solution in the right situation.”

Derek Carr joked about return to Raiders, but that seems unlikely

Carr recently joked with his older brother David, another former QB, about a return to the Las Vegas Raiders. He would reunite with new head coach Klint Kubiak, who was Derek Carr’s OC in New Orleans in 2024. The former Seattle Seahawks OC officially assumed the head coach position following the Seahawks’ 29-13 win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX.

However, Las Vegas is expected to draft Indiana QB, and Heisman Trophy winner, Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick. Still, a return to the NFL might not be far fetched for Carr. It would take the “right situation and coaching staff.”

Carr played for 11 seasons, nine of them being with the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders. He made the playoffs twice in his career (2016 and 2021) but did not play in the 2016 Wild Card game due to injury. It was seemed as a big what-if for the franchise because they went 12-3 in games started by Carr that season.

His last season with New Orleans in 2024 was not quite a success. He led the Saints to a 5-5 record, passing for 2,145 yards and 15 touchdowns with five interceptions before being benched for rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler.