Derek Carr's Surprise Retirement Ignites Social Media

Derek Carr delivered one last score on Saturday morning. The now-ex-quarterback's surprise retirement from the NFL awoke a mostly sleepy social media on an otherwise quiet morning.

While everyone was scrambling to get mom and/or wife a Mother's Day present or waiting for the Celtics and Knicks to tip off, ESPN's Adam Schefter broke news of Carr's plans to call it a career.

Our own Armando Salguero broke down the news and explored where the Saints go from here.

New Orleans Saints QB Derek Carr celebrates  a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. (Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images)

While Armando was putting fingers to keys, plenty of people in and around the NFL opened up the former bird app and fired away their thoughts on Carr driving away New Orleans less than a month after the team selected the would-be heir apparent, Tyler Shough, in the second round of the NFL Draft, 40th overall.

That includes a pair of former signal callers, Dan Orlovsky and Robert Griffin III, who were surprised by the news and also replacements in mind:

"Wow. Good for him. Awesome career. Shaugh you're up," wrote Orlovsky.

Life comes at you fast.

RGIII was heartbroken for Carr, whose retirement was largely due to a shoulder injury:

"Heartbroken for the man," he tweeted.

Rather than hand the playbook over to Shough, a rookie, RGIII has another, more experienced, QB in mind for the Saints - Aaron Rodgers.

The former QBs weren't the only ones to weigh in:

Carr, 34, spent 11 seasons in the NFL. The first nine were spent with the Raiders, first in Oakland, then Las Vegas. His last two seasons were spent with New Orleans. He signed a four-year deal with the Saints in March 2023 worth $150 million. Carr may not have been able to get the Saints to the postseason - they won 14 games in his 27 starts over parts of two seasons - but he was able to ignite social media on an otherwise mundane Saturday in May. 

That's gotta count for something. Maybe not $150 million. But something.

Follow along on X @OhioAF or email me: anthony.farris@outkick.com