The New Orleans Saints’ season has not unfolded as fans, players, or staff had hoped. Still, there have been notable positives throughout the year, chief among them the play of rookie quarterback Tyler Shough.
Since taking over as the starter in New Orleans, Shough has delivered winning plays and sharp throws, at times showing poise beyond his rookie status. The challenge, however, remains the Saints’ 2-10 record entering Week 14.
Saints HC Kellen Moore Discusses Tyler Shough’s Future
With the NFL draft approaching, quarterback remains a central topic in discussions of the Saints’ potential first-round options. Given their current record, it is unsurprising that many expect the team to target the position, though Tyler Shough is making a case for why New Orleans should look elsewhere. His potential is evident, and despite occasional mistakes, his development has been highly encouraging.
Just a few games ago, Shough ranked fourth in PFSN’s QB Impact metric for the week following his performance against the Carolina Panthers.
The quarterback debate will persist until the Saints make a definitive decision on Shough’s role. After Wednesday’s practice, head coach Kellen Moore was asked whether he had seen enough from Shough to consider him the starting quarterback in 2026.
“Tyler is doing an awesome job,” he said. “We drafted him with the intent of continuing to develop him and let him grow, and so I think he’s done an excellent job of taking his opportunities. We want to win some games, we want to play well down the stretch, and put ourselves in an excellent position in the future with a lot of these guys.
“So again, next year and all that fun stuff, that’s for a different day. We want to keep developing Tyler; we want to put him in an awesome position to be successful. I think he’s done a lot of good, so I’m excited about his future with us.”
Although the quote does not definitively confirm that Tyler Shough will be the starter in 2026, Moore made clear that the Saints drafted a quarterback to develop into the team’s future leader. It is an encouraging sign for Shough’s future in New Orleans, and given his strong play in a brief stint as the starter, the Saints can now turn their attention to building the roster around him this offseason.