When the New Orleans Saints used the 40th overall pick of the second round to draft Tyler Shough out of Louisville, they passed on Shedeur Sanders—a decision that raised eyebrows across the league. With Shough’s pedigree under the Brohm coaching staff and the experience of a 25-year-old rookie (he’ll turn 26 during the season), expectations were sky-high. He wasn’t supposed to be a project; he was supposed to be ready.
Last week against the Chargers, Shough offered a glimpse of why the Saints drafted him. He delivered a gorgeous deep touchdown strike to Mason Tipton, who has been one of the surprises of camp, showcasing the kind of arm talent that showed up in his highlight reels at Louisville. With a clean pocket, Shough proved he can drop an accurate bomb.
But this week, against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Shough’s first game action with the starters told a much different story. Surrounded by top weapons like Rashid Shaheed and Chris Olave and backed by the No. 1 offensive line (which struggled mightily on the night), Shough looked bewildered, fearful, and overwhelmed. At times, he reverted to the same reckless habits seen in his lowlight reels—those “F* it, somebody’s down there” throws. Instead of looking like the poised veteran rookie New Orleans hoped for, he made fans nervous.
Meanwhile, Spencer Rattler continues to seize the moment. Against Jacksonville, he found a rhythm with Tipton as well, throwing several beautiful passes that highlighted his anticipation and touch. More importantly, Rattler displayed the kind of calm confidence under pressure that separates a stopgap quarterback from a true leader. Down by eight in the fourth quarter, playing with the third-team offense, he rallied his unit and looked unshaken in key situations.
That is what Shough has never consistently shown: the ability to deliver in the face of adversity. In college, he never produced that signature, game-defining drive. Rattler, much like Shedeur Sanders during the 2022 Celebration Bowl or early at Colorado, showed he has that unteachable killer instinct to give his team a chance.
And in New Orleans, there is no luxury of time. Shough isn’t a 21-year-old rookie who can take years to develop. He is the oldest rookie the Saints have rostered in years, and that comes with an unforgiving expectation: he must be ready now. And right now, he’s not.
Rattler, on the other hand, may not yet be destined for greatness, but he is ready to play the game today. In a tight quarterback competition, sometimes readiness is all that matters. It feels less like a battle and more like a verdict: Spencer Rattler has won the job of QB1 in New Orleans.
That assessment isn’t just media spin—it’s being noticed by those around the team. In an interview with Kay Adams, Saints offensive coordinator Kellen Moore remarked, “You’ll recognize the team rallying behind someone that usually steers the ship.” After the game, long-time Saints wide receiver Lance Moore echoed that sentiment during a live stream: “… it seems that the guys raise their level of play around him (Rattler)… that says something. That the guys really want to go to battle with this guy and I’m sure that radiates throughout the locker room.”
The message is clear: Spencer Rattler hasn’t just won the job—he’s won the trust of the team.
