Tyler Shough’s rise inside the Saints organization got another notch this week, and this one meant a lot more to him than any individual award.
The New Orleans quarterback, who has played in 11 NFL games and made nine starts, already has a runner-up finish in last year’s Offensive Rookie of the Year voting on his résumé. But Shough said his latest recognition - being voted one of the Saints’ nine captains - topped everything else he’s done so far.
As the Saints prepare to open their 2026 season against the Detroit Lions, Shough is entering his second year as the team’s starter, and the captaincy is a clear sign of how quickly he’s become a central figure in the locker room.
“The NFL is such a hard business because there’s so much fluidity,” Shough said. “College, you’re growing up with a lot of the same buddies, and the quarterback position, you’re named captain automatically. But for me, with this business, the guys who come in and out, you have to be really intentional about getting to know all your teammates.”
That message tracks with what teammates and coaches have been saying about him all offseason. Shough has been praised for the leadership he’s shown since the end of last season, when he powered the Saints’ late-season surge. In preseason action, he even took over the role of leading the team’s pre-game huddle from former Saints linebacker Demario Davis.
Coach Kellen Moore pointed to that work when explaining why Shough got the honor.
“Tyler earned being a captain on this football team for a reason; because of his presence throughout the whole offseason and the preparation he’s put into this,” Moore said. “He’s done a really good job being that vocal leader when necessary.”
The Saints announced their captains at a team dinner earlier this week. Players were allowed to vote for two teammates, with those votes restricted to players on their own side of the ball.
Shough said the nod carried real weight, but he’s not treating it like the finish line.
“It means a lot, but I also know there’s more work to be done, and there’s more I can do to keep earning it,” Shough said.
In Other News...
Saints Now Have One More Lions Opener Wrinkle To Prepare For
The Lions added another layer to their opener plans by promoting wide receiver and return man Tom Kennedy to the active 53-man roster ahead of their 2026 matchup with the Saints. Kennedy is expected to handle punt and kick return duties, giving Detroit a more defined answer in the third phase of the game as it gets ready for Sunday.
For New Orleans, it is one more detail to sort through before the first real snap of the season, especially in a game where field position can matter early. Detroit also added defensive back Natrone Brooks to its practice squad, a smaller move on paper, but the Kennedy promotion is the one the Saints will be watching closest as they finalize their own opener prep. [Read more 🡒]
Kendre Miller Just Cleared One Saints Concern But Another Is Growing
Kendre Miller no longer appears on the Saints injury report heading into the season opener, which is an encouraging development after he missed practice last week because of an injury. For a player trying to carve out a real role early in the year, simply getting through the final stretch of preparation without an issue matters, especially with New Orleans looking to sort out its backfield rotation from the start.
The larger question now is how much room Miller will actually have once Alvin Kamara is back in the mix. Kamaras return could cap Millers workload, even though there is still a path for him to contribute if he brings the kind of explosiveness the Saints want to see. The expectation is that Miller could see a modest number of carries each game, but his impact may depend on whether he can make the most of those chances. [Read more 🡒]
Saints Need Chase Young To Deliver In A Brutal Week 1 Test
Cameron Jordans absence from the Saints regular-season opener is a significant blow before New Orleans even gets to the first Sunday of the year. Jordan, long one of the most dependable players on the defense, will sit out against Detroit after a hamstring injury in training camp, leaving the Saints to reshuffle their pass-rush plans for a matchup that already looked demanding.
Chase Young is now in line for a much bigger load, and the timing could hardly be tougher. The Lions bring a difficult offense led by Jared Goff, so New Orleans will need pressure up front to keep the game under control and prevent Detroit from settling in. For the Saints, this is the kind of Week 1 test that can quickly show whether Young is ready to carry more of the burden. [Read more 🡒]