Former NFL quarterback Derek Carr teased the possibility of making a comeback during an appearance on the Dan Patrick Show Thursday (September 11).
Carr, 34, who made his debut as a pregame and postgame analyst for YouTube's broadcast of the Kansas City Chiefs-Los Angeles Chargers game last week, acknowledged that he's still training and couldn't completely rule out a return to playing football.
“I wouldn’t say never,” Carr said. “Because I’ve learned that when I say never, it usually happens. I think we’ve all probably learned that. For me, I’m training because I love to train. That’s going to be the rest of my life. I love to train.”
Carr, then a member of the New Orleans Saints' roster, made his retirement decision in May, shortly after the 2025 NFL Draft and just weeks before training camp, opting not to undergo shoulder surgery. The veteran quarterback opted to forfeit his $30 million fully guaranteed salary in exchange for the $10 million roster bonus he received in March when he was expected to play during the 2025 season.
“I throw a football every now and then with my kids and to my buddy for fun because it’s part of my rehab for my shoulder,” Carr said. “I’m still doing those things, I’ve always felt like, even though I’m done, if God wanted me to do it, I gotta be ready. I don’t want to go out there and not be ready. I’ll be ready, but I’m not coming back. Right now, today, I’m not coming back.”
Carr spent his first nine seasons with the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders and holds franchise records in passing yards (35,222), passing touchdowns (217) and completions (3,201), while ranking second behind Pro Football Hall of Famer Ken Stabler (69-26-1) in QB wins with a 63-79-0 overall record.