Training camp opened with a quarterback battle in New Orleans, and Spencer Rattler came out on top to start the season. He held the job first, but by the end of the year Tyler Shough had taken over and settled in as the Saints’ answer moving forward. That shift came with a broader spark for the team, too, as the defense started to come alive at the right time.
Rattler took plenty of heat when the Saints stumbled out of the gate, which is usually what happens when a team’s offense sputters. The quarterback gets the blame whether he deserves all of it or not. In Rattler’s case, the season looked rough on the surface, but Pro Football Focus offered a more encouraging read on his year.
PFF included Rattler among five quarterbacks who improved their passing grades in 2025.
After being forced into action as a rookie in 2024 when Derek Carr got hurt, Rattler posted a 49.4 PFF passing grade. He then opened 2025 as New Orleans’ starter under first-year head coach Kellen Moore before eventually losing the job to Shough in the middle of the season.
Even with all that turnover around him, Rattler’s passing grade rose to 66.1. His adjusted completion percentage moved from 69.0% to 75.6%, and his big-time-throw rate nearly doubled, climbing from 2.4% to 4.0%.
There was still some mess in the profile. His turnover-worthy play rate ticked up from 4.9% to 5.4%. But he was noticeably better when the pocket got muddy, lowering his pressure-to-sack rate from 22.4% to 16.2%.
The numbers suggest real progress, even if the film doesn’t make the jump feel quite as dramatic. Going from a 49.4 passing grade leaves room to improve, but the completion rate and big-time-throw bump give Rattler a case for a second chance and maybe a fresh start.
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