Canal Street Chronicles
When the 2025 NFL season started, there was a real chance this would never be made. An extremely close QB battle between Spencer Rattler and rookie Tyler Shough lasted most of the preseason, and with it being so close, the Saints went with Rattler. At the time, the decision made sense, but it did not quell Saints fans’ criticism over “wasting” the 40th overall pick on a 25-year-old rookie QB who may not even get on the field.
As we know now, that’s not what happened.
Once Shough was brought in to take over from Rattler, who was on a string of disappointing performances, things started to change. Shough brought a different playstyle to the offense that was needed, and finally, even with some coaching woes at the time from HC Kellen Moore, Shough was able to push the ball down the field. Flash forward two weeks after Shough was brought in for Rattler, the rookie had his breakout performance.
Against the Carolina Panthers, Shough finished 282 passing yards and 2 touchdowns, one being a beautiful pass to WR Chris Olave. Most importantly, looking past the stats, the rookie looked comfortable, calm, and confident.
After this game, Shough never looked back. The Saints lost in Weeks 12 and 13 (Week 11 was the bye week) to the Atlanta Falcons and Miami Dolphins, but those games came down to either coaching or special teams. Shough still played well in those losses, but after that, the Saints went on their 5-game win streak.
The coaching was better, the defense was improving every snap, and Shough started to put the offense on his back. Injuries were plaguing the Saints’ offense, but unlike last season, when that was an excuse for losing, Shough kept rising over every obstacle. The 2025/26 season ended with a loss, which is never how a team wants to enter the offseason. Still, the Saints have all the momentum in the world to build upon, and that can be attributed to Shough’s great rookie year.
