Derek Carr retires, and the New Orleans Saints sign an undrafted rookie QB, Hunter Dekkers, who was involved in illegal gambling

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / May 13, 2025, 14:10 IST

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Derek Carr's retirement prompts the New Orleans Saints to sign Hunter Dekkers. Dekkers, previously ineligible due to gambling issues, impressed coaches at a minicamp. He joins Tyler Shough, Spencer Rattler, and Jake Haener in the quarterback competition. The Saints seek improvement after a poor 2024 season. Dekkers' past performance shows promise, offering hope for the team's future.

Derek Carr retires, and the New Orleans Saints sign an undrafted rookie QB, Hunter Dekkers, who was involved in illegal gambling

(Image via Getty: Hunter Dekkers)

Just days back, Derek Carr retired from the QB position at the New Orleans Saints due to a right shoulder injury, and now, the Saints have signed a rookie QB who wasn’t a part of the 2025 NFL Draft, and was also involved in illegal online games gambling with his parents - Hunter Dekkers. Saints beat reporter, Mike Triplett, shared, “The Saints signed undrafted quarterback Hunter Dekkers from Iowa Western and Iowa State on Monday pending a physical.” A week back, Dekkers had applied for the QB position during the Saints’ rookie minicamp. According to the Daily Mail, Dekkers was signed by the Saints after impressing coaches during a tryout at their rookie minicamp.

Hunter Dekkers lost his NCAA eligibility due to online betting on his own team, Iowa State

In August 2023, NBC DFW reported that Iowa State QB Hunter Dekkers was accused of gambling on Cyclones sports events, including a football game, and was charged with tampering with records related to the Iowa Criminal Division investigation into sports gambling.The criminal complaint said Dekkers placed 366 online bets worth more than $2,799. The bets were on 26 Iowa State athletic events, a 2021 college football game with Oklahoma State, where Dekkers was a backup QB.

The complaint also mentioned that Dekkers participated in a scheme involving his parents, Scott Dekkers and Jami Dekkers, to conceal his online gambling and make it look like the bets placed by Hunter Dekkers were actually made by his mother, Jami Dekkers. As a result of his illegal gambling, Dekkers lost his NCAA eligibility and was transferred to the JUCO level.

Four quarterbacks will compete for the starting QB position at the New Orleans Saints

Following the Cleveland Browns’ pathway, the Saints also have four QBs lined up - 2025 NFL Draft’s second-round pick Tyler Shough, 2024 NFL Draft’s fifth-round pick Spencer Rattler, longtime backup QB Jake Haener, and undrafted rookie QB Hunter Dekkers - fighting for one role of the starting quarterback. This quarterback role is so important for the Saints because they finished their 2024 NFL season with only 5 wins and 12 losses! They were positioned last in the NFC South.

Their hopes were high with 34-year-old Derek Carr’s return. However, due to the degenerative changes in Carr’s right shoulder, he opted for a sudden retirement after consulting with his family and doctors.

The Saints had to go for another QB on such short notice, would their latest hire, Hunter Dekkers, become their savior?

Dekkers' background looks promising. Playing as a replacement for Brock Purdy in 2022, Dekkers accumulated 3,044 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions in Iowa State Cyclones football. Playing for the Iowa Western Reivers in 2024, Dekkers threw 3,808 yards with 32 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Also read: Highest-paid NFL Head Coaches of 2025: Andy Reid, Sean Payton, Mike Tomlin, And More | NFL News - The Times of India

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TOI Sports Desk

The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide. From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more. The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics. We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects. We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.

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