Saints rookie quarterback Tyler Shough had a promising first season, leading the team to a 5-4 record in nine starts. However, concerns about a potential sophomore slump linger as he enters his second year.
The vibes around the New Orleans Saints right now are absolutely immaculate. Despite a 6-11 finish in 2025, the fanbase feels reenergized due to the emergence of rookie quarterback Tyler Shough. For the first time since Drew Brees, the Who Dat Nation feels like they have our guy at QB1. However, it is important to note that Shough hasnât even started a full season as an NFL quarterback. Although the home half of the season was incredibly promising, there are still a lot of question marks. Many second-year quarterbacks throughout NFL history have gone through a âsophomore slumpâ after playing well in year 1. What are the chances that Shough goes through something similar, and has he even done enough for us to know with certainty that he is our franchise quarterback?
What Shough was able to do during his rookie season was incredibly impressive. In nine starts, he led a subpar Saints roster to a 5-4 record. Spencer Rattler, with that same roster plus Rasheed Shaheed, only managed one win through 8 starts. Shough led all rookie quarterbacks in wins, and the Saints went 4-0 in the month of December with him at the helm. This was all done with remarkably impressive efficiency for a rookie, as he earned the highest overall PFF grade for rookie QBs at 74.6. According to Pro Football Focus, Shough recorded 13 âbig-time throwsâ and just seven âturnover-worthyâ plays. That ratio more than exceeds the expectations for a rookie. He ended the season with a stat line of 2834 yards on 67.7% completion with 10 touchdowns and six interceptions. All of this production earned Shough a spot as an Offensive Rookie of the Year finalist, in which he finished second in voting. Most people (including myself) believe that he would have almost certainly won the award if he started from Week 1.
As great as all of this sounds, the bottom line is that Tyler Shough was a 26-year-old rookie who spent seven seasons at the collegiate level. The narrative going into last off seasonâs NFL draft was that Shough was one of the most âDay 1 readyâ QBs in the class. Judging by the way 2025 played out, that narrative was spot on. The caveat for players who fit that archetype is that they usually have the smallest long-term upside. Someone who doesnât like the Saints may question how much more potential Shough has to grow into. Fellow rookies like the Titansâ Cam Ward (23) and the Giantsâ Jaxson Dart (22) also showed some flashes of being a future star. These players are considerably younger and were both in arguably worse situations than Shough. Is it possible that Shoughâs early success is nothing more than a headstart that can eventually shrink and evaporate as the younger guys continue to grow?
Tyler Shough completed 67.7% of his passes for 2,834 yards, with 10 touchdowns and six interceptions in his rookie season.
Shough led all rookie quarterbacks in wins, finishing with a 5-4 record and earning the highest overall PFF grade for rookies at 74.6.
A sophomore slump refers to a decline in performance that some second-year quarterbacks experience after a successful rookie season.
At 26 years old, Shough is considered a 'Day 1 ready' QB, but his age may limit his long-term upside compared to younger quarterbacks like Cam Ward and Jaxson Dart.
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In 2023, CJ Stroud took over the NFL. He threw for 4108 yards, which is the third most by a rookie in NFL history, along with 23 touchdowns and only 5 picks. He led the entire league in passing yards per game and TD-INT ratio. The young phenom also took the Houston Texans to the Divisional Round after winning the AFC South. After he won Offensive Rookie of the Year, everyone assumed Stroud was a Bonafide future superstar. Stroud spent the following offseason on a celebrity world tour. He was filming YouTube videos and podcasts with then Cowboys Defensive End Micah Parsons, posting Instagram pics at the infamous Michael Rubin white party, and he even had a moment during the next season when he appeared to âlittle broâ Bears Quarterback Caleb Williams after a game. This all would have been fine if Stroud did not seriously regress in 2024 and 2025. Of course, he did seriously regress. Optically, it looked like Stroud may have gotten a little ahead of himself.
The reason I told this story is that Tyler Shough also has been doing a lot this offseason. Heâs appeared on multiple podcasts including Barstoolâs Pardon My Take and Terron Armsteadâs The Set. Shough also made public appearances at the Hondo Rodeo Fest last weekend and Savannah Bananasâ game in the Superdome last month along with riding in the Krewe of Pygmalion parade during Mardi Gras. It is safe to say that Shough has been embracing the off-the-field roles of being the Saints franchise quarterback. As a diehard Saints fan myself, I am loving every moment of it. I want my quarterback to embrace the city. However, I am praying that he is able to handle the expectations next season. Last season, many fans were unhappy when we drafted him. He was playing with nothing to lose, and he killed it. This season, people will expect him to perform. Shough certainly isnât backing away from that increased pressure.
My take? Nah. Tyler Shough is that guy. There is an intangible element to this whole equation. I watched Shough lead back-to-back game-tying and game-winning drives against the Panthers in Week 15 (who were fighting for a playoff spot) and ignite a fire under a dead football team that had nothing to play for. Kellen Moore is an offensive-minded coach. I trust that he knows how to identify the skillset that best fits his scheme. The Saints did not have a good roster last season, bottom line. We had a really good rookie class, but there is a reason we went 6-11. I think the roster is only getting better. These new free agent additions coupled with, hopefully, another good rookie class can propel this roster to a much âhigher ceilingâ team. Tyler Shough proved last season that he can do a lot with a little. Now, imagine if we give him a lot. Imagine what he can do with an improved offensive arsenal to get the ball to along with an offensive line that added David Edwards. The NFC South is the most winnable division in football at the moment. Assuming we put together another solid draft class, I think Shough is positioned for a âSophomore Explosion!â