Feb. 13, 2026, 10:46 a.m. CT
Could Derek Carr play in the NFL in 2026? Reports have swirled about the former New Orleans Saints and Las Vegas Raiders quarterback making a comeback after he sat out the 2025 season to rest his injured throwing shoulder. And because the Saints still own the final year of Carr’s contract after putting him on the retired list last summer, any interested team would have to trade with New Orleans to get him.
The former Saints quarterback sat down with his older brother David Carr on their Home Grown YouTube show, where he addressed those reports. After joking around about having never actually retired with a going-away press conference and all the associated pomp and circumstance, Carr got down to brass tacks.
“Moral of the story, would I come back? The answer obviously is yes,” Carr said. “Would I do it? Yes. Would I do it for anybody? Absolutely not,” Carr added. “Would I do it? Absolutely. I told you two things, I’d have to be healthy and want a chance to win a Super Bowl.”
That’s tall talk for someone who has never won a playoff game. Carr only led the Raiders to the postseason twice in nine years as their starter, and he couldn’t get the Saints across the finish line in two years, either. For him to imply he’s the missing piece for a Super Bowl contender is more than a little pretentious. But if it helps the Saints get a better draft pick from trading him to a new team in a month or two, let him talk.
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