To say the offseason has been a messy one for former Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr is an understatement.
Shortly before the draft, the current New Orleans Saints quarterback was reported to have suffered a shoulder injury, threatening his availability for the 2025 season. However, some analysts expressed doubt on whether this was legitimate or a ploy by Carr to prevent them from drafting another quarterback. The Athletic’s NFL insider Dianna Russini, in particular, spoke out on the situation and referred to it as ‘fishy.’
“Maybe this is Derek Carr looking at the situation going, ‘I don’t want the Kirk Cousins treatment. I don’t want to be your quarterback.’ You guys draft a young guy and it’s basically, ‘When is this guy going to play?'” Russini said on an episode of her Scoop City podcast.
Recently, Carr chose to set the record straight in the oddest of places.
Carr confirmed his shoulder injury and lashed out at his critics for suggesting an ulterior motive.
During a Sunday service at a Las Vegas church, Carr spoke publicly about his injury, as well as the rumors swirling around it.
“Yes, I have to say this,” Carr said. “I hate that I have to say this, but I have to say this. Yes, I have a shoulder injury, despite what ESPN says. And what some lady on a podcast might think, OK? I have an MRI report to prove it. The team knows about it. We’ve been in constant communication. There’s nothing wrong. We’re figuring it out, and we’re gonna go forward with that. Is that OK?”
Derek Carr is publicly speaking about his shoulder injury. During a church service in Las Vegas (@TheChurchLV), he said he has been in contact with #Saints officials, has gotten an MRI and says everyone is trying to figure out the next steps. pic.twitter.com/ud2GRiHixI
— Farrah Yvette (@farrah_yvette) April 28, 2025
“I’ve been dealing with this, and I’ve been dealing with people lying about me,” Carr continued. “And I’m like, ‘Lord, why do I have to continue to deal with this nonsense?’ … You never know what someone’s really going through. And so why do we continually try to attack people? Why do we always have to have an opinion?”
While Carr’s remarks certainly clear the air on his injury, his standing with the Saints remains unclear.
Despite recent remarks from Saints general manager Mickey Loomis also confirming the injury, he did not clarify on any trade rumors around Carr. New Orleans only added fuel to the fire by drafting quarterback Tyler Shough in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Depending on Carr’s health, Shough could be asked to start as early as Week One of his rookie year.
The Raiders might not have had the best quarterback luck since Carr’s departure in 2023, but they can at least be glad that this is not their problem to solve.
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