Saints march on after Derek Carr’s shock retirement

The New Orleans Saints have made their decision under center. With Derek Carr’s unexpected retirement due to injury leaving the team scrambling for a starter, head coach Kellen Moore has turned to second-year quarterback Spencer Rattler to lead the offense.

After three weeks of preseason action and months of offseason work, Moore officially named Rattler the Week 1 starter over rookie Tyler Shough. The announcement came ahead of the Saints’ opener against the Arizona Cardinals at Caesars Superdome.

“Spencer Rattler is our starting quarterback,” Moore said in a press conference. “He’s made some really good decisions throughout this process, and his ability to create plays with both his arm and his feet really stood out. I’m excited for Spencer. He earned this opportunity, and I believe he’ll do a tremendous job for us.”

Spencer Rattler’s rough rookie season with the Saints

Rattler, drafted in the fifth round in 2024 after splitting his college career between Oklahoma and South Carolina, endured a rough rookie season. He started six of the seven games he appeared in, losing all of them.

The Arizona native, born September 28, threw for 1,317 yards with four touchdowns and five interceptions, completing just 57% of his passes as a rookie. He was also sacked 22 times but showed flashes of mobility, adding 146 rushing yards on 18 carries.

Now, with Carr’s abrupt retirement creating a void at the most important position, Rattler gets a shot at redemption, and leadership.

“Obviously I’m excited to be the starter in Week 1,” Rattler told Jeff Nowak. “I want to lead this team, I want to lead these guys. One thing I can promise is that I’ll give everything I’ve got on the field, and I know everyone else will too.”

Preseason promise

During the preseason, Rattler completed 30 of 43 passes for 295 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He also picked up 41 yards on the ground across seven carries, showcasing the dual-threat ability that helped him edge out Shough for the starting role.

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