Kellen Mond Says Vikings Wanted Derek Carr in 2023 as Speculation Grows

Derek Carr is considering coming out of retirement, and the Minnesota steam appears to be picking up.

Dec 8, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (4) warms up before the game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Is Derek Carr the Vikings' "one that got away"? That might be the case, according to former Vikings quarterback Kellen Mond.

The Vikings' quarterback situation has generated a ton of interest across the league. Many names have been linked to Minnesota after the team publicly declared its intention to bring in a veteran to compete with J.J. McCarthy.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported on Sunday that the 34-year-old could potentially unretire to join the right situation and coaching staff. Carr retired following the 2024 season due to a significant shoulder injury. He has since recovered from the injury and is reportedly throwing without limitations.

This is where Mond comes into the story.

Monday posted on X that the Vikings "wanted" Carr in 2023. "Might be tough to pull him out of retirement though," Mond added.

They wanted him in 2023. Might be tough to pull him out of retirement though. https://t.co/Uhf4sSEX72

— K M o n d (@TheKellenMond) February 12, 2026

In 2023, Kirk Cousins was entering the final year of his contract, so Minnesota would have needed to find a trade partner for Cousins if they were indeed interested in Carr. Notably, Cousins was coming off a 2022 season in which he threw for 4,547 yards and 29 touchdowns, leading the Vikings to a 13-4 record in Kevin O'Connell's first season as head coach.

Carr ended up signing a four-year, $150 million deal with the Saints. He played 27 games for New Orleans, going 14-13 while throwing for 6,023 yards, 40 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions before his injury.

The Carr speculation took another step Thursday when the Carr brothers, David and Derek, riffed on Derek's future on their podcast.

"Would I do it? Yes. Would I do it for anybody? Absolutely not," Derek said.

"I told you two things: I'd have to be healthy, and I would want a chance to win a Super Bowl. And obviously, that's a tough thing to find. That's hard to do. That's not easy," Derek added.

Then the brothers had an interesting back-and-forth where David mentioned the Vikings' colors.

Derek: I had to say no a couple of times so far.

David: Yeah, we all know that. Do I have any purple and gold?

Derek: Go Lakers.

David: Oh, yeah. That's what I mean. It's Laker season. Didn't they trade for someone?

If Carr decides to unretire, New Orleans still holds his rights, so they could get something for him, though that would most likely be minimal. The Saints appear to be moving forward with Tyler Shough as their starter.

The initial report of Carr potentially unretiring indicated that he "doesn't seem to be actively chasing a return to the NFL," though he "knows the interest is there and sources have said the right situation and coaching staff could lure" him back to the field.

In his 11-year NFL career, Carr passed for 41,245 yards, 257 touchdowns, and 112 interceptions.

While McCarthy struggled at times in 2025, O'Connell has had success with veterans during his time in Minnesota. Cousins and Sam Darnold both had career years in Minnesota under O'Connell — and who knows, maybe Carr is next.

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