By Ross Jackson
If Super Bowl LX taught the New Orleans Saints anything, it’s that remaining patient with promising quarterback Tyler Shough is the way to go.
It’s a sentiment that general manager Mickey Loomis is already adopting.
“There’s still lots of questions. There’s lots of things that we have to accomplish and do,” he said during his and head coach Kellen Moore’s press conference.
This year’s tandem of Super Bowl quarterbacks proves why this approach is the right one.
Many Gave Up On The Winner
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold was widely considered a bust. His first three seasons with the New York Jets, after being drafted No. 3 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft, ended with a 13-25 record as a starter. He was then traded to the Carolina Panthers for a trio of draft picks before eventually becoming a free agent.
He then landed as a backup with the San Francisco 49ers before leading back-to-back 14-3 playoff runs with two separate teams. That journey of resilience, patience and self-belief culminated in a Super Bowl victory this year.
The patience shown to Darnold throughout his career trajectory lacked at some destinations but was granted in others. Where patience was granted, he found his greatest successes.
New Orleans need not test this theory from the Jets and Panthers perspectives but from that instead of the 49ers, Minnesota Vikings and Seahawks.
No One Should Be Down on the Runner-Up
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye may have been on the losing side of the coin, but there’s no doubt that the patience will be there for him. The MVP runner-up and Super Bowl runner-up won’t be chastised inside the Patriots facility; instead it’s likely the chip on his shoulder will only be tended to and grown for another potential run next year.
The Patriots are further behind the Seahawks when it comes to the timeline of adding weapons. Meanwhile, the Saints are earlier in their process than New England. Both the Saints and Patriots will benefit from patient optimism while building their rosters around their signal callers.
The Lesson for New Orleans
Patient optimism will be the most beneficial approach. Leaning in on Shough’s potential will come naturally, but a judicious approach to expectations and responses to mixed results (every quarterback has them) will be paramount.
The excitement around Shough and the Saints is palpable and warranted. But patience will be the secret ingredient to success in the Crescent City.