Tyler Shough: The Saints’ Quarterback of the Future

In a league where quarterback uncertainty plagues many franchises, the New Orleans Saints appear to have found their answer in Tyler Shough. The second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft wasn’t initially the starter, beginning the season behind Spencer Rattler, but his impressive performance after taking over has cemented his position as the team’s quarterback moving forward. Shough went 5-4 in his nine starts, helping lead the Saints to a four-game winning streak and putting himself in contention for Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. His ability to effectively run head coach Kellen Moore’s offense has the organization excited about what’s to come with a full offseason to build around him.

Shough’s journey to becoming the Saints’ starter wasn’t a conventional one. Despite being high on the team’s draft board, some skeptics pointed to his age and extensive college career as potential concerns. At 25 years old coming out of college after spending time at Oregon, Texas Tech, and Louisville, Shough was older than many rookie quarterbacks. However, the Saints identified him as a solution to their quarterback need following Derek Carr’s retirement. Though Rattler initially won the starting job in training camp, Moore made the switch to Shough after a disappointing 1-7 start to the season, believing the rookie was ready for the opportunity despite not wanting to rush his development.

“Sometimes your greatest strengths become a weakness, and so I’m really patient,” Saints GM Mickey Loomis explained about their approach with Shough. “I think it helps, but I’ll continue to be that way.” The patience paid off as Shough seized his opportunity when it came, demonstrating the potential that had the Saints so high on him during the draft process. Moore has been particularly impressed with the rookie’s development, noting, “Tyler’s done an awesome job through this entire process. He’s gotten a ton better. He’s taken advantage of a bunch of opportunities.” This improvement was evident on the field, where Shough showed increasing command of the offense with each start.

While the team is excited about Shough’s future, they’re also maintaining realistic expectations about his development. “We’re excited about Tyler… but we have to remember that he hasn’t had 17 starts yet,” Loomis cautioned. “We’re going to go into next season with these high expectations, and there’s nothing wrong with that. He’s a second-year quarterback, and he’s had less than a full season to start. So, we’ve got to keep that in mind as we go forward. There are building blocks here and we cannot skip any steps.” This measured approach reflects the organization’s understanding that quarterback development rarely follows a linear path and that patience will be key to maximizing Shough’s potential.

The statistics from Shough’s rookie campaign provide reason for optimism. In his nine starts, he passed for 2,384 yards with 10 touchdowns and six interceptions, completing 67.6% of his passes on 327 attempts. These numbers, while not spectacular, demonstrate solid efficiency and decision-making for a rookie quarterback thrust into the starting role midseason. Perhaps more importantly, Shough’s 5-4 record as a starter showed his ability to help the team win games – the ultimate metric for quarterback success in the NFL. The four-game winning streak under his leadership particularly stands out as evidence of his potential to elevate the team’s performance.

As the Saints look ahead to the offseason, their quarterback situation represents a rare point of stability in a league where many teams face uncertainty at the position. Rather than entering another offseason of quarterback evaluation and potential change, the organization can focus on building around Shough and tailoring the offense to maximize his strengths. With a full offseason program to develop chemistry with his receivers and further master Moore’s offensive system, Shough appears poised to take another step forward in his development. While challenges undoubtedly lie ahead, the Saints’ confidence in their young quarterback suggests they believe they’ve found their answer at the most important position in football for years to come.