Derek Carr Didn’t Want to ‘Just Take the Saints Money’

Almost a month removed from announcing his surprise retirement from the NFL, former Saints and Raiders quarterback Derek Carr is content with his decision to end his playing career—and walk away from another huge paycheck.

“That part was tough because I didn’t want to have surgery and just sit there and—it sounds crazy but—just take the Saints money,” Carr told Front Office Sports.

Carr, 34, retired with roughly $195.7 million in career earnings. With two seasons remaining on the four-year, $150 million contract he signed in 2023, Carr gave up the $30 million salary he was set to earn in 2025, but he kept a $10 million roster bonus that hit in March. 

The four-time Pro Bowler sustained a severe shoulder injury last season that jeopardized his future. “I wouldn’t have been able to play if I had the surgery,” Carr said. “And then if I tried to play with it, I wasn’t near 100%, 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.”

Carr said the Saints wanted him to try to keep playing, but he couldn’t commit to another season, despite the financial benefit. 

“I never played just for the money,” he said. “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.”

One More Ride?

As with any high-profile retirement, there is speculation about whether Carr is truly done playing football. But he said his new life has been an “absolute blast” and he’s “having so much fun.”

“My agent literally texted me a few days ago and he said, ‘Hey, just checking it in. How’s everything? You still feel comfortable with the decision?’ And I sent him a picture of me on the beach with my two kids playing. And I said, ‘This beats an OTA any day.’ And he said, ‘Yeah, I thought so,’” Carr said. “So, I’m doing great and have thoroughly enjoyed being home.” 

Grabbing the Mic

With his playing days done, Carr could see himself following in the footsteps of his older brother and getting into the sports media space. David Carr, the No. 1 pick in the 2002 NFL Draft, has been an analyst for NFL Network since 2016.

“Would I do something? Absolutely, because it’s just easy to talk about for me,” Derek Carr said.

It appears the interest is already there. “NFL Network has already asked me—probably a dozen times—when Derek’s gonna come down and do a show with us,” David Carr said. “That’s usually how it starts.”

The younger Carr is open to any ideas, although he said he could “more see myself doing it at the college level.”

The Carr brothers recently launched a YouTube channel, the Home Grown Network, where they’ve posted videos analyzing football, playing golf, and telling stories that go outside of sports.

“It would be must-see TV—you’d have to tune in,” the elder Carr said of his younger brother’s media prospects. “So I’m actually excited that he doesn’t want to do it yet, because selfishly, I think our new YouTube channel is going to benefit from it during the regular season when we can kind of dig into some of the things that are happening just because he’s lived it most recently.”

Football and Fairways 

Beyond the media space, the Carr brothers work together on a variety of business projects. They recently invested in Frönen, a dairy-free ice cream brand, after Derek’s wife, Heather, liked the dessert so much that she DM’d the company on Instagram, which ended up leading to a deal.

In 2021, the Carr brothers brokered a 10-year, $10 million football stadium naming-rights agreement (via their company CMP Enterprises) for their alma mater, Fresno State, with Valley Children’s Healthcare. They’ve also made donations to the university and contributed to its NIL (name, image, and likeness) collective.

“I knew off the field, business-wise, I was always going to do things,” Derek Carr said of his plans as a retired football player. “Because I can’t not do anything.”

Coaching is also something Carr said he’s interested in exploring. In the meantime, both brothers are spending plenty of time on the golf course. Instead of watching film this offseason, Derek’s big goal is a trophy at the American Century Championship, a celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe (he’s “locked in on winning,” according to David) whose former champions include Tony Romo and Steph Curry.