The New Orleans Saints are officially moving on from the Spencer Rattler experiment. After a 1-7 start, multiple reports say the team has informed Rattler that rookie Tyler Shough will take over as the starting quarterback moving forward.
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Shough, a 26-year-old rookie out of Louisville, made his first real appearance of the season in Sunday's 23-3 loss to the Buccaneers. Entering late in the third quarter, he completed 17 of 30 passes with one interception and no points, but coach Kellen Moore liked what he saw.
"Tyler went in there and looked the part," Moore told reporters after the game. "He made some plays. The one interception was unfortunate. This had more to do with the whole offense not playing well enough and trying to generate a spark."
Rattler's turnover issues made the move inevitable. He threw a pick-six against Tampa Bay and had three interceptions the week before against the Bears.
The Saints' offense ranks near the bottom of the league, and Moore clearly felt something needed to change.
For Shough, the opportunity comes after a long, winding journey through college football. He spent time at Oregon and Texas Tech before starring at Louisville, where he threw for 3,195 yards and 23 touchdowns last season.
His strong Senior Bowl performance helped push him into the second round, where New Orleans grabbed him with the No. 40 pick in the 2025 draft.
Now, he'll get his first start on the road against the 5-2 Los Angeles Rams. Not an easy debut, but a long-awaited one for a player who's fought through injuries, transfers, and setbacks to get here.
