New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr stated publicly for the first time that he has a shoulder injury, but stopped short of disclosing any specifics about how or when it happened, or how it might affect his availability to play during the coming season.
“I hate that I have to say this, but I have to say this: Yes, I have a shoulder injury,” Carr said while delivering a guest sermon at a church in Las Vegas on Sunday.
“I have an MRI report to prove it,” Carr continued. “The team knows about it. We’ve been in constant communication. There’s nothing wrong. We’re figuring it out and we’re going to go forward with that. Is that OK?”
“I’ve been dealing with people lying about me … and I’m like, ‘Lord, why do I have to continue to deal with this nonsense?” Carr continued. “You never know what someone’s really going through. And so why do we continually try to attack people — and I would say attack people that are maybe trying to do things the right way?”
Carr’s sermon took place two days after the Saints used their second-round pick — the 40th overall — in this year’s NFL draft, to select Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough.
The Saints picked Shough two days after the club’s general manager, Mickey Loomis, acknowledged publicly that Carr has “an issue” with his shoulder about which the Saints are seeking more “clarity.”
The issue first arose when NFL.com, citing an anonymous source, reported on April 11 that Carr might need shoulder surgery which could cause him to miss part or all of the upcoming season.
The report did not state which shoulder Carr injured or how he injured it. Carr’s agent, Timothy Younger, did not return multiple messages from The Associated Press about the matter. And until Wednesday, the Saints had not addressed it, either.
Likewise, Loomis has declined to say when he first learned of the injury or explain his understanding of how it happened.
Carr, who is 14-13 in two seasons as a Saints starter, injured the AC joint in his throwing shoulder in 2023, but never missed a game because of it. Carr missed seven games in 2024, but because of oblique and hand injuries.
The Saints’ injury reports last season did not mention any issues with Carr’s shoulder, and when he played, he had multiple downfield completions that went for 50 or more yards.
But as Carr entered the third year of his four-year Saints contract, doubt surrounded his long-term future with the club because of a coaching change, his inconsistent play and apparent fan discontent.
Carr was signed during the tenure of previous coach Dennis Allen, who was fired last season. The new coach is former Philadelphia offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, who is installing a new offense.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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