The New Orleans Saints, despite starting the season 1-6, felt like a curious case of “always the bridesmaid, never the bride.” Giving Spencer Rattler the starting job, the team had been competitive in almost every encounter, fighting until the very end. A major reason for that was quarterback Spencer Rattler’s surprisingly solid start to the year.
But the last two weeks had unfortunately not been a great showing for him. As a result, after the team trailed 17-3 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third quarter, they chose to make a huge change at the most important position in the sport, replacing him with rookie Tyler Shough.
What Happened to Spencer Rattler?
A better-than-expected start to the season saw Rattler rank 27th on PFSN’s QB Impact, as he remained a decent anchor for a Saints team that may have been looking at the 2026 NFL Draft already.
Week by week, too, his performance did not have a huge variance. In most games, he finished in the 20s among all quarterbacks for the week, with a season-high 10th rank in Week 5 against the New York Giants in the sole win of the season.
But the last two games from Ratter were particularly brutal. He threw three interceptions against the Chicago Bears in Week 7, ultimately costing New Orleans the game. This week, he wasn’t much better, as he gave up a pick-six in the first half, before recording another turnover on a lost fumble.
On the night, he totaled 136 yards while converting 15 of his 21 passing attempts. He also ran for 12 yards on three carries, while being sacked thrice for a loss of 19 yards.
As a result, the organization decided it was time for a switch, and they handed the baton from the sophomore to the rookie. The result, though, might not have worked out as well as the Saints were hoping for.
Incredible play for the INT pic.twitter.com/RfGOuz7ECb
— NFL (@NFL) October 26, 2025
Immediately after subbing in, Shough threw a pick of his own in his first four passes.
