NEWYou can now listen to Pakinomist articles!
The New Orleans Saints won’t be evaluating their quarterback position much this offseason, unlike other teams.
They think Tyler Shough is their guy.
The second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft was not the Saints’ guy to start the season. But after taking over from Spencer Rattler, Shoough went 5-4 in nine starts to put himself in the running for Offensive Rookie of the Year.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON Pakinomist
New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough runs for a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on Dec. 7, 2025. (Kim Klement Neitzel/Imagn Images)
One of the main reasons was helping the Saints to a four-game winning streak while impressing head coach Kellen Moore with how he ran the offense.
“Tyler has done a great job throughout this whole process,” Moore told ESPN. “He’s gotten a ton better. He’s taken advantage of a lot of opportunities. We’re excited to have a full offseason to build.”
WHO IS TYLER SHOUGH? SAINTS ROOKIE OLDER THAN 12 PROJECTED START QBS
Shoough was higher on the quarterback draft board in April, but some skeptics pointed out how many years of college ball he played. He 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 entering a season where quarterback was a clear need following Derek Carr’s retirement.
Rattler won the quarterback battle in training camp over Shough, but after going 1-7, Moore switched to his rookie.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough, left, passes the ball under pressure from Denver Broncos linebacker Jordan Turner during the second half of an NFL preseason game Aug. 23, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
The Saints didn’t try to rush Slough’s development process, but when they thought he was ready, he didn’t waste the moment.
“Sometimes your greatest strength becomes a weakness, and so I’m really patient, I feel like it, and whether it helps or not, hopefully it does,” Saints GM Mickey Loomis said of not rushing Shough. “I think it does, but I will continue to be that way.
“Again, we’re excited for Tyler … but we have to remember he hasn’t had 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 Shoough throws a pass against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second half in New Orleans, 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, Shoough passed for 2,384 yards with 10 touchdowns and six interceptions and a 67.6% completion rate on 327 pass attempts.
