Saints quarterback Derek Carr confirmed that he was dealing with a shoulder injury during a guest sermon at Church LV in Las Vegas last weekend, according to ESPN’s Katherine Terrell.

“I have an MRI report to prove it,” said Carr. “The team knows about it, we’ve been in constant communication.” 

He also criticized media speculation about his injury and his absence in New Orleans as the Saints began offseason workouts, revealing that his wife was dealing with a serious health issue that delayed their return to the Big Easy. Carr did not provide any more details regarding the specific nature of his injury or his timeline to return.

Carr’s brother, former NFL quarterback David Carr, offered some more clarity in an appearance on NFL Network. He explained that the injury is believed to have occurred during the Saints’ Week 14 matchup with the Giants last December. Derek Carr also broke his wrist and suffered a concussion in that game, his last of the season. After his wrist healed, he realized his shoulder was still hurt and began to evaluate his options for the future.

Surgery is a possibility, which could threaten Carr’s availability for the 2025 season. He would prefer to focus on rehab with the goal of playing as soon as possible. The 34-year-old quarterback is seeking more opinions and consulting with the team on how best to move forward.

The Saints’ decision to draft Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough last weekend looms larger in the light of Carr’s injury update, especially with the information that the team is fully aware of his shoulder injury. New Orleans believes that Shough was the most pro-ready QB in the draft, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, which may have been an especially strong motivator with the potential for Carr to miss time this year.

General manager Mickey Loomis said that there would be a “competition” when asked about Shough’s role, but indicated that Carr would remain the starter when healthy. If he’s still out to start the year, Shough could take over as starter and make it hard for the Saints to go back to Carr once he’s ready to return. That might be why Carr would prefer to rehab his shoulder and attempt to play as soon as possible; if not, he could find himself out of a job.