Following the surprise retirement of Derek Carr this offseason, the New Orleans Saints are holding an open competition to determine who will be the starter for the 2025 season. One of the contenders vying for the job is rookie Tyler Shough.
Shough will have to beat out Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener to earn the job, but the 40th overall pick seems primed to be the guy by the time Week One rolls around, per Pro Football Talk.
The rookie, who is 26, is insisting that he’s ready for whatever the season has to offer.
“I think for me and what I’ve been through — I’ve been carted off the field; I’ve been booed; I’ve been an MVP; I’ve been a starter; I’ve been a backup to Herbert — throw some shit at me. You’re not going to faze me if we start off 0-2 or I [expletive] suck,” Shough said.
“It’s going to be fine. That’s what I was excited about — the opportunity, or any opportunity — and I think going into it, I’ve got to continue to get to know the guys. Like I said earlier, I’m still a rookie. I may be older, but I have to earn the respect of everybody and do my job.”
Shough has taken a long path to get to the Saints. He started his career at the University of Oregon before transferring to Texas Tech and finally ending up at the University of Louisville.
“I think it’s just if you look back, what are you willing to sacrifice at that position?” Shough said. “If you would have told me as a 20-year-old, you’re going to get drafted, but you are going to have to wait four or five years, and you’re going to break your bones three times and think about not playing football again, and you’re going to be depressed and have all these emotions, but if you stay at it then I would have done it, and I did.
“At that time, you’re wondering why is this happening and what’s going on, and a lot of unknowns. That’s literally the NFL; that’s the game of football.”
