Four-time Pro-Bowl quarterback Derek Carr announced Saturday that he is retiring from the NFL after 11 professional seasons. The 34-year-old former New Orleans Saint and Oakland/Las Vegas Raider ends his career with 257 regular-season touchdown passes and 41,245 passing yards while completing 65.1% of his throws.
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“Upon reflection of prayer, and in discussion with (my wife) Heather, I’ve decided to retire from the National Football League,” Carr said in a statement released by the Saints. “For more than 11 years, we have been incredibly blessed, and we are forever grateful and humbled by this experience. It’s difficult to find the right words to express our thanks to all the teammates, coaches, management, ownership, team officials and especially the fans who made this journey so special. Your unwavering support has meant the world to us.”
In a post on his Instagram account, Carr wrote, “Through it all, I gave this game everything I had every single day. I sleep well knowing that I gave my teammates, my coaches, and my cities my all. Now, I look forward to whatever God has next and I’ll pursue it with the same fire I brought to the field.”
He also posted a video of Heather documenting her husband’s activities on the first day of his retirement.
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In late March, while preparing for the 2025 season, Carr and his doctors discovered he had a labral tear and significant degenerative changes to the rotator cuff in his right (throwing) shoulder. He ultimately opted for retirement rather than undergo surgery and miss most, if not all, of the season.
Carr spent the last two years with the Saints after nine with the Raiders, the franchise that drafted him 36th overall out of Fresno State in 2014. He is the all-time leader in completions, passing yards and passing touchdowns in Raiders history.
Throughout his career, Carr has boldly proclaimed his faith in Jesus. He has a tattoo of a Chi Rho (an early Christian symbol) on his right wrist and one referencing the Bible verse Jeremiah 29:11 on his left.
“All the self-glory, that stuff is fleeting. I’ve already been through that,” Carr said after a 2021 win with the Raiders. “God took me to a place that all I want to do is glorify Him, and wherever He’s going, that’s where I want to go. So if it’s a win, awesome. If not, I’m still gonna glorify Him.”
In a Sports Spectrum video from 2014, Carr explained how he first became a believer. He was claiming to love God while in college at Fresno State, but his actions weren’t reflecting it. It was then that Heather (just a friend at the time) wrote him a letter to challenge him in his faith. He apologized to Heather, repented and trusted anew in Christ.
“That next week, we had a game at the University of Ole Miss. I got up in front of my whole team and I told them, ‘Guys, I’ve been calling myself a Christian, and I haven’t been living it. You guys know what I’ve been doing. I’m a Christian now, and I’ve asked God for His forgiveness. Now watch how I live my lifestyle.'”
Later, he added, “That’s how I know He’s with me — because I have a peace and a joy. I can’t describe it, but I have it and I know it’s real.”
Carr is a gifted speaker and has accepted many invitations to speak at churches throughout his time in the football spotlight. In fact, he nearly quit football years ago to become a pastor before ultimately realizing God had called him to the gridiron.
“It was in that moment where I think the Lord knew that my heart was His, and I’ve been able to minister to thousands of people,” Carr said in 2022 on “The High Note” podcast, hosted by Christian musician Tauren Wells. “I’ve been in stadiums — 15,000, 18,000 people — preaching the Gospel and watching thousands of people get saved. I’ve seen healings take place. I’ve seen people set free. I’ve seen marriages reunite. I’ve seen kids come back home. All while playing football.”
As he said during a Night of Worship event with the Saints last year, “God did something in my life. He radically transformed and changed my life and I can’t help but tell people about Jesus.”
Now, as Carr’s playing days have come to a close, he knows that God’s call on his life to proclaim the Good News of Christ never will.
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