Tyler Shough didn’t walk away with the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year award, but make no mistake - he made his presence felt. The Saints’ rookie quarterback finished second in the voting, earning a strong nod from the 50-member panel of NFL writers who cast their ballots. And while the top honor went to Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, Shough’s runner-up finish sends a clear message: he’s firmly on the national radar heading into Year 2.
Let’s break it down. The voting system is straightforward - 10 points for a first-place vote, five for second, one for third.
McMillan ran away with it, tallying 445 points and grabbing 41 of the 50 first-place votes. Shough, meanwhile, pulled in 168 points, including five first-place nods.
That’s a wide gap, yes, but it also puts Shough well ahead of the rest of the pack.
Here’s how the final tally looked:
- Tetairoa McMillan: 445 points (41 first-place votes)
- Tyler Shough: 168 points (5 first-place votes)
- TreVeyon Henderson: 111 points (1 first-place vote)
- Jaxson Dart: 88 points (1 first-place vote)
- Emeka Egbuka: 66 points (0 first-place votes)
What stands out here isn’t just that Shough finished second - it’s how decisively he separated himself from the rest of the rookie quarterback class. Jaxson Dart, another first-year signal-caller, was a distant fourth, and none of the other rookie starters even cracked the voting board. That says something about how Shough’s performance resonated with voters, especially considering the context of his season.
Now, it’s fair to point out that Shough only started nine games. That limited sample size likely played a role in keeping him from truly challenging McMillan for the top spot.
But when he was on the field, he made it count. And while McMillan had the benefit of a full season and a consistent role in Carolina’s offense - despite not even being the top producer on his own team - Shough had to earn his way into the starting lineup.
Could the Saints have started him earlier? Maybe.
But it’s hard to argue with how they handled his development. Shough wasn’t ready in September, and rushing him into action could’ve done more harm than good.
By October, though, he’d shown enough in practice and behind the scenes to warrant a shot - and when he got it, he didn’t look back.
That’s the kind of trajectory you want to see from a young quarterback: growth, patience, and then production. Shough didn’t just flash potential - he proved he could run an NFL offense. That’s why he’s already being talked about in the same breath as Dart, Cam Ward, and Shedeur Sanders - a group that could define the next generation of quarterbacks in the league.
So while the trophy went elsewhere, Shough’s rookie campaign was a win in its own right. He earned respect, he earned votes, and most importantly, he earned the trust of a franchise that now knows it has something to build around. Year 2 can’t come soon enough.