Should Derek Carr unretire, the Steelers, eyeing quarterback solutions, may explore signing the four-time Pro Bowler.
With his injured right shoulder healed, Derek Carr is reportedly considering a return to the NFL.
Carr retired from the New Orleans Saints following the 2024 season after 11 seasons as a quarterback in the league. The pain in Carr’s shoulder had become too much to bear, and he decided to move on following a career that saw him selected for four Pro Bowls.
However, Carr is now having second thoughts about retirement. He could enter free agency in the coming weeks and try to restart his career.
It appears that the Pittsburgh Steelers are banking on Aaron Rodgers returning for a second season as their QB. Rodgers led the Steelers to the AFC North title last season, their first since 2020. The hiring of Mike McCarthy as coach seems to only increase Pittsburgh's chance of luring Rodgers back as the duo were together with the Green Bay Packers for 13 seasons from 2006-18.
Yet it would also see Rodgers deciding to retire. He is the oldest player in the NFL at 42 and has played in the league for 21 seasons. Though Rodgers employs some unusual methods to keep his body healthy, he has sustained significant wear and tear over 287 games spanning the regular season and playoffs.
Thus, it seems likely the Steelers will at least contact Carr if he decides to play. They would seem more comfortable with him than the two quarterbacks on their roster, career backup Mason Rudolph and inexperienced Will Howard.
Carr is 34 but was still an effective quarterback in 2024 with the Saints, posting a 101.0 passer rating, the second-best of his career. In 10 games, he completed 67.7% of his passes for 2,145 yards and 15 touchdowns with five interceptions. The Saints were 5-5 when Carr started and 0-7 when he didn’t.
Would being away from football for a year diminish his skills? Perhaps, but Carr was still pretty good when he retired.
Pittsburgh has been searching for a franchise quarterback since Ben Roethlisberger retired following the 2021 season. Carr doesn’t fit that description. However, he would seem able to tide the Steelers over for at least a year if Rodgers doesn’t return in 2026.
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