Total Pro Sports
Tyler Shough didn’t even make it to his first NFL practice before getting an authentic taste of life in New Orleans.
On his way to the Saints’ facility for rookie minicamp, the freshly drafted quarterback’s car hit a pothole and blew a tire- the kind of welcome locals understand all too well.
“I feel like I’m already ingrained in New Orleans,” Shough told reporters Saturday. “I’ve already popped a tire in a pothole.” The 2025 second-round pick laughed off the incident, but fans were quick to let him know he’s officially one of them now.
New Orleans residents didn’t miss a beat in welcoming Shough to the city’s not-so-charming road conditions.
Tyler Shough, line of the day: “I feel like I’m already ingrained in New Orleans. I’ve already popped a tire in a pothole.”
— Luke Johnson (@ByLukeJohnson) May 10, 2025
One fan joked, “Dude’s entire car didn’t fall in, it was a good day.”
Dude's entire car didn't fall in, it was a good day.
— Sheetrock_PatchBoy⚜️ (@johnpeltier) May 10, 2025
Another recalled their initiation into the Crescent City, quoting a tow truck driver from a similar experience: “You ain’t no Nola virgin no more boy.”
As my AAA tow truck driver told me when I popped two tires in a Washington Avenue pothole around 2017, “you ain’t no Nola virgin no more boy”
— Scotty Anderson (@smanderson1) May 10, 2025
Some fans saw it as a rite of passage. “Welcome to town son! It’s like the spanking you get when you’re born,” one commented.
Welcome to town son! It’s like the spanking you get when you’re born.
— Robert Johnston (@RobertJ69247374) May 10, 2025
Another added, “It was a 50/50 shot between that or getting car jacked… so he came out ahead in that aspect.”
it was a 50/50 shot between that or getting car jacked.. so he came out ahead in that aspect
— Ambrose Bielecki (@AmbroseBielecki) May 10, 2025
For Saints fans, the accident felt less like a “Welcome to the NFL” and more like a New Orleans introduction. It brought laughs and some local charm, but the rookie now faces a more serious challenge.
Derek Carr’s sudden retirement has shaken up the Saints’ quarterback depth chart. Tyler Shough suddenly finds himself in an unexpected three-man race for the starting job. He’ll compete with second-year quarterback Spencer Rattler and third-year player Jake Haener. This scenario was hard to imagine just a few weeks ago.
Shough spent a rare seven years in college, with stints at Oregon, Texas Tech, and Louisville. He went 21-11 as a starter and finally stayed healthy long enough in 2024 to play a full 12-game season. It remains unclear whether he will carry that momentum into his NFL debut.
For now, Saints fans hope the popped tire is just some early bad luck, and not a sign of...
