The New Orleans Saints might just have something brewing at quarterback - and it’s not coming from a big-name free agent or a first-round pick. Instead, it’s 26-year-old rookie Tyler Shough who’s starting to look like a long-term answer under center. And if you’re wondering whether his age is a concern, head coach Kellen Moore isn’t losing sleep over it.
“Philip [Rivers] was still out there slinging it at 44,” Moore said with a grin during Wednesday’s press conference. “So I think we’ve got a few more years to work with.”
Moore’s point wasn’t just about longevity. It was about experience - the kind you can’t fake and the kind Shough has in spades after seven college seasons across Oregon, Texas Tech, and Louisville.
That journey included time as both a starter and a backup, and yes, more than one season-ending injury. But through it all, Shough kept playing, kept learning, and now he’s showing why that experience matters.
“Tons of experience, tons of exposure,” Moore emphasized. “You go through enough challenging situations in college - not just winning every game in a perfect environment - and you build the kind of mental toughness that translates.”
That mental edge is what Moore believes separates quarterbacks from the pack, especially in the NFL, where the position demands more than just arm talent. It’s about processing, adapting, and evolving - traits Moore sees in Shough and in the league’s best.
“You look around the league, and a lot of the guys playing at a high level are in their 30s,” Moore said. “Stafford’s in his late 30s, Dak’s in his early 30s, and they’re still getting better. Quarterbacks mature later, and that’s part of why I believe in Tyler.”
So far, that belief is paying off. Since taking over as the Saints’ starting quarterback, Shough has put up 1,084 passing yards, five touchdowns, and four interceptions in five starts.
He’s also added 94 yards and two scores on the ground. The numbers don’t scream MVP, but they do tell the story of a player settling in, managing games, and showing flashes of what could be.
And let’s not forget the context. After Derek Carr retired in May, the Saints entered the season with one of the least experienced quarterback rooms in the league - Shough, Spencer Rattler, and Jake Haener. Moore took some heat for not bringing in a veteran, but he stuck to his plan: develop the young guys, trust the process.
That gamble is starting to look like a smart one. Rattler has made strides in Year 2, improving his reads and decision-making.
But it’s Shough who’s emerged as the real revelation. He’s shown poise in the pocket, command of the offense, and the kind of growth that doesn’t always show up in the box score.
Former Saints linebacker Scott Shanle even pointed to coaching as a key factor in Shough’s development - a quiet nod to Moore’s system and approach.
It’s still early, and no one’s crowning Shough just yet. But in a league where quarterback play is everything, the Saints might have found a diamond in the rough - a 26-year-old rookie with a long road behind him and, if Moore is right, plenty of road ahead.