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The New Orleans Saints won’t be evaluating their quarterback position much this offseason, unlike some other teams.
They think Tyler Shough is their guy.
The second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft was not the Saints’ pick to start the season. But after taking over for Spencer Rattler, Shough went 5-4 in nine starts to put himself in the running for Offensive Rookie of the Year.
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New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough runs for a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on December 7, 2025. (Kim Klement Neitzel/Imagn Images)
One of the main reasons was helping the Saints to a four-game winning streak, while also impressing head coach Kellen Moore with the way he ran the offense.
“Tyler has done an incredible job throughout this process,” Moore said, according to ESPN. “He’s improved a lot. He’s taken advantage of a lot of opportunities. We’re excited to have a full offseason to build on.”
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Shough was higher on the quarterback draft board in April, but some skeptics pointed out how many years of college baseball he played. Shough spent three seasons at Oregon and Texas Tech before ending up at Louisville in 2024.
He was 25 years old coming out of college, but the Saints had him high on their draft board heading into a season in which quarterback was a clear need following the retirement of Derek Carr.
Rattler won the training camp quarterback battle over Shough, but after going 1-7, Moore made the switch to his rookie.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough, left, passes the ball under pressure from Denver Broncos linebacker Jordan Turner in the second half of an NFL preseason game on Aug. 23, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
The Saints weren’t trying to speed up Slough’s development process, but when they believed he was ready, he didn’t waste the moment.
“Sometimes your biggest strengths become weaknesses, so I feel like I’m very patient, and whether it helps or not, I hope it does,” Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said of not rushing Shough. “I think so, but I will continue to be that way.
“Again, we’re excited about Tyler… but we have to remember he hasn’t made 17 starts yet. So we’re going into next season with these high expectations, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough throws a pass against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half in New Orleans on Oct. 26, 2025. (Gerald Herbert/AP Photo)
“He’s a second-year quarterback and he’s had less than a full season to start. So we have to keep that in mind as we move forward. There are building blocks here and we can’t skip any steps.”
In nine starts, Shough threw for 2,384 yards with 10 touchdowns and six interceptions and a 67.6% completion rate on 327 pass attempts.
