The future is now for the 1-7 New Orleans Saints, as on Tuesday, they announced that Tyler Shough will make his first career NFL start on Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams on the road. Shough was selected in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft out of Louisville. Following an impressive lead-up to the draft in his senior season, Shough made enough of an impression to get selected by the Saints.
For New Orleans, this move comes after starting sophomore quarterback Spencer Rattler, drafted in 2024, for the first half of the season. Rattler, although having a few solid outings, regressed in the past two weeks, throwing for four interceptions versus the Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Shough took over for Rattler in the middle of the game with the Bucs, completing 17 out of 30 passes but also throwing a pick and no touchdowns.
As a team at the bottom of the standings, this move signals a test to see if Shough is capable of leading the Saints into 2026. With an upcoming 2026 quarterback class that has a slew of talented throwers but no one who truly stands out as generational, the Saints will give Shough the back half of the season to prove himself. In a world where Shough can show consistency or the leadership qualities needed, New Orleans could draft for the best player possible come April’s draft instead of forcing themselves into a third-straight year of gambling on a quarterback.
Shough will be tested in Los Angeles against one of the league’s strongest defenses. Jared Verse and Byron Young have developed into a quarterback’s nightmare as a tandem EDGE duo, and it’ll be up to Shough to get the ball out quickly in his starter debut. If he can impress, though, this is his chance to take the starting job not only for 2025 but for the near future as well.