New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr made headlines recently for coming out to inform the world publicly that he is retiring from the NFL. The commentators and fan leaders all went directly to questioning why in the world he would do that. His number one line is his “substantial degenerative changes” in his shoulder that have caused him to question over his long-term health and being able to play at an elite level.
The impact of shoulder injuries on Derek Carr’s career
Derek Carr’s career has been that of longevity and consistency. Shoulder injuries, however, have been a source of concern, impacting his play as well as NFL career. Carr has experienced several shoulder injuries throughout his playing career that have negatively impacted his play as well as health.
Those injuries not only led to destroying his throwing, but also his game confidence. All those injuries still haunt him and create an impression of “significant degenerative changes” which extended the grip on his retirement at last. Carr’s shoulder problems did occur only recent years. Though the effort was made to play injured, those injuries didn’t ease.
“Significant degenerative changes” in Carr’s shoulder
The term “significant degenerative changes” is yet another way to refer to shoulder joint degeneration as a result of annual wear and tear, as well as repeated trauma. The trauma negatively impacts a quarterback’s strength and accuracy while throwing and serves as one reason why Carr opted for retirement.
Degenerative shoulder alterations weaken cartilage and other joint structures to deteriorate, causing pain, stiffness, and loss of motion. For a quarterback, that could be the loss of sudden performance and greater susceptibility to incurring another injury. Carr’s retirement fits with taking the risk and sensation of wanting to maintain his overall general health.
Medical professionals detail that degenerative changes are irreparable and can cause permanent pain and disability if not addressed. For Carr, staying in the game might have easily destroyed his career, and life outside football in general, permanently. This kind of information would have had an extremely high chance of making the deciding contribution to his decision to retire.
The wider implication of Carr’s retirement for the Saints
Derek Carr retirement would have gigantic impacts on the New Orleans Saints both on and off the field. The players will have to determine how they will make the adjustment of stepping in and replacing them and acclimating to their schematics so that they can be in a position to make this new formula a success.
Saints’ coaching personnel will also have to adjust their offense according to the strengths and weaknesses of their new quarterback. The transition time will be the key that maintains team stability and performance. Strategic moves in front office during transition time will determine the Saints’ competitiveness in subsequent seasons.
The Derek Carr life after retirement
Since Derek Carr has retired from the NFL, his future is not set. The majority of retired players try to pursue new ventures within the sport as coaches, broadcasters, or in some other way. Carr’s background and experience would be suited for the majority of these jobs.
Carr’s game management and coaching abilities would be invaluable as a coach. Some of his players who played for him are now excellent coaches, sharing their game know-how with the next generation of players. Or Carr would be an excellent sport commentator, sharing his expertise and know-how.
Derek Carr’s retirement from football play due to “substantial degenerative changes” in his shoulder signals the end of an era for the New Orleans Saints. While it is hard for his departure to happen, it also creates room for new horizons and reconstruction. As the Saints pass through this phase, all eyes will be on finding a worthy replacement and reconstructing the team to play in the NFL.
