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Saints QB Derek Carr (hand) out despite efforts, coach says

METAIRIE, La. -- New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr has been ruled out of Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, ending his season.

Saints interim coach Darren Rizzi had repeatedly disputed the idea that Carr's season was over after the veteran fractured his non-throwing hand against the New York Giants on Dec. 8. Rizzi had said each week since the injury that he would keep the door open for Carr to play.

"I got frustrated with reports in the beginning because I witnessed and watched this guy every single day come in here and rehab with a purpose of getting back," Rizzi said Friday. "At no point in the rehab process was there ever a 'I'm done for the year' and it was literally 'We'll see how I feel tomorrow.' He's been progressing every day. I think it goes without saying ... he really wanted to try to get back for the last two games being the Raiders honestly, and then this game, it just didn't go as planned. Sometimes that happens and as I said, we never want to put [him] out there in a position where he felt like he couldn't function at a high level, and that's just not how we feel right now."

The Saints listed Alvin Kamara, who has missed two games with a groin injury, as doubtful. Rizzi said the team would put him through tests Saturday to see if he can play. Chris Olave, who sustained multiple concussions this season and has not played since Nov. 3, was ruled out Saturday.

Rizzi said Monday that Carr would need to go through at least one successful simulated game scenario to be able to play in the season finale. The Saints had attempted to do that last week to bring Carr back against the Las Vegas Raiders, his former team.

The Saints injected Carr's hand with pain medication, but he did not have full functionality, the coach said.

"We already tried once before. We did try to eject the hand and see if he could function. We're just not there yet," Rizzi said Friday. "I know that's all been behind the scenes and that's not seen by everybody every day, but it's seen by me and our staff and our players and so I do want to commend him on the effort to try to get back out here on the field. He really did everything humanly possible to do that."

The coach had said Monday that the team would try a simulation again early in the week before the Saints resumed practice Wednesday.

"If you see him out there with that red jersey running around then that means he did well Tuesday or Wednesday [prior to practice]," Rizzi said.

The simulation had not been run by Wednesday. On Friday, Rizzi declined to discuss the timing of the second simulation, saying he didn't want to disclose details on the matter.

"It's because of where he is with his rehab," Rizzi said. "I'm following the lead of the medical side. It's just where he is in the rehab. It's better off waiting. In layman's terms, it's better if you get the hand as strong as possible before you do that to see if he's going to be able to function."