Tyler Shough’s Rookie Season Challenge: What He’s Ready to Prove Under Pressure

He has taken the road most traveled to get here, going from Oregon to Texas Tech to Louisville to New Orleans.

Shough isn’t the typical rookie. He’s 26, which makes him 2 years older than Rattler and only six months younger than Haener. He graduated from high school in 2018 and once served as Justin Herbert’s backup at Oregon.“I think it’s just if you look back, what are you willing to sacrifice at that position?” Shough said. “If you would have told me as a 20-year-old, you’re going to get drafted, but you are going to have to wait four or five years, and you’re going to break your bones three times and think about not playing football again, and you’re going to be depressed and have all these emotions, but if you stay at it then I would have done it, and I did. At that time, you’re wondering why is this happening and what’s going on and a lot of unknowns. That’s literally the NFL; that’s the game of football.”Tyler Shough’s journey to potentially quarterbacking the Saints in Week 1 reads like a tale of grit and unexpected twists. Drafted 40th overall, he’s not just any rookie; at 26, he’s been around the block more than most entering the league. This ain’t his first rodeo—having backed up Justin Herbert and battled injuries and setbacks, Shough’s carved a path filled with trials that would shake many. Now, with Derek Carr stepping away, Shough stands as the leading candidate to grab the reins, facing stiff competition from Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener. It’s a story of patience, resilience, and seizing the moment—an older rookie embracing the grind with unshakable confidence and a chip on his shoulder. The NFL’s uncertainties haven’t fazed him, and if you ask me, this narrative is just getting started. LEARN MOREThe 40th overall pick is the frontrunner to start the season opener, which would make him the first Week 1 rookie starting quarterback for the team since Archie Manning in 1971. First, though, he will have to beat out Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener.“I think for me and what I’ve been through — I’ve been carted off the field; I’ve been booed; I’ve been an MVP; I’ve been a starter; I’ve been a backup to Herbert — throw some shit at me. You’re not going to faze me if we start off 0-2 or I fu—ing suck,” Shough said on the St. Brown podcast, via NFL Media. “It’s going to be fine. That’s what I was excited about — the opportunity, or any opportunity — and I think going into it, I’ve got to continue to get to know the guys.

Rookie Tyler Shough is competing to replace Derek Carr as the starting quarterback of the Saints.Carr still was with the Saints when Shough was drafted but announced his retirement May 10, opening up the job. It’s an opportunity Shough didn’t expect to have the day he was drafted.“Like I said earlier, I’m still a rookie. I may be older, but I have to earn the respect of everybody and do my job.”That’s why Shough insists nothing will faze him this season.