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New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback Tyler Shough opened up Wednesday afternoon about the painful reality of his first NFL start. The 26-year-old rookie revealed that he couldn’t close his jaw for nearly two days following a violent helmet-to-helmet hit in Sunday’s Week 9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams — a play that resulted in a roughing the passer penalty. The update added yet another difficult moment to a trying season for the Saints, who have struggled to find stability at quarterback. The hit served as a reminder of the physical toll the position demands, especially for young quarterbacks still finding their footing.
ESPN’s Katherine Terrell took to her X (formerly known as Twitter), sharing that Shough was still feeling the effects well into the week, including painful treatment on his jaw area after the game.
“Tyler Shough said he couldn’t close his jaw properly until yesterday because he got hit hard in the face during that sack on Sunday. He said he got treatment via needles to his face/jaw area. ‘Hurt like shit,’ he said. ‘But it’s all part of it.’”
The rookie’s resilience stood out even amid a 34-10 loss. Despite taking the hit from Rams outside linebacker Byron Young, Shough stayed in the game and led the Saints on a 71-yard touchdown drive capped by his first career scoring pass — an 11-yard strike to Juwan Johnson. It became a defining early-career moment for the young Saints quarterback, who continues to showcase toughness behind a shaky offensive line.
Shough, a second-round pick out of Louisville, has already drawn praise from head coach Kellen Moore for his composure under pressure. The Saints’ 1-8 record may not show it, but his development is one of the few bright spots in an otherwise challenging campaign.
The Saints offense remains a work in progress, but performances like Shough’s show a competitive edge the locker room can rally around. As the Saints prepare for Week 10 vs. the Carolina Panthers, all signs point to Shough starting once again — jaw fully intact, but battle-tested.
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