Derek Carr Had Heartfelt Reason for Leaving $30 Million on the Table in Saints Contract

Carr retired last month because of a shoulder injury that requires surgery.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr reacts to a play while on the sidelines. / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Derek Carr shockingly retired from the NFL last month because of a shoulder injury that required surgery and would have likely sidelined him for the 2025 season.

The quarterback could've easily undergone surgery and pocketed the $30 million he was owed in base salary for the upcoming season and then retired ahead of next season, if that's what he still desired to do. But, instead, Carr took the classy route and left the money on the table and retired this offseason. It sounds like taking the money would've been morally difficult for him, and the money wasn't his top priority.

“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's David Rumsey.

“I never played just for the money. 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.”

Carr's decision opened up the $30 million in cap space for the Saints, which gives the team the opportunity to build their roster this offseason. Carr did get the $10 million roster bonus in March, so he didn't leave totally empty-handed.

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