The New Orleans Saints selected Tyler Shough with the 40th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. He will compete with Spencer Rattler for the team’s starting quarterback job, and everyone will be tuned in to see how he performs in the preseason.
Let’s take a closer look at Shough’s parents and where the Louisville product comes from.
Meet Tyler Shough’s Parents, Glenn and Dana Shough
Shough grew up in Chandler, Ariz., and comes from an athletic family. His father, Glenn, played football at Division III Cal Lutheran and is a retired police officer. His mother, Dana, committed to playing football at Oregon State and is a retired teacher.
Shough’s mother has been through a lot, being diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer in 2006. Dana described her experience and the fighter’s mentality she developed in a 2016 article by Christopher W. Cadeau from “The East Valley Tribune.”
“Everybody’s got some sort of issue or story. It’s how you deal with it that defines your character, and everything about you.
“Yeah my two boys were 2 and 5 years old at the time of my diagnosis in 2006. I was given a very grim, stage-4 metastatic breast cancer diagnosis…I could curl up in a corner and say, ‘Oh poor pitiful me,’ or I can say, ‘Gosh darn it, I’m not done. These boys deserve to have a mom raise them.’ And God knew I wasn’t done…So I had the fighter mentality.”
In the same article, Shough spoke about how he’s used that fighter’s mentality ever since his mother’s diagnosis.
“She’s always been a fighter, she’s a survivor, and she’s really inspired me and been there for me. If something doesn’t go your way, what are you going to do? Are you just going to fold up? No you say, ‘I’m going to take it head on and fight back.'”
Shough took that mentality to Texas Tech and raised money by selling breast cancer awareness shirts in 2021. At that time, Dana had been cancer free for 16 years.
A Look at Shough’s Pre-Draft Stock
The Saints quarterback was predicted to be a third-round pick in one of PFSN’s seven-round mock drafts. Jacob Infante had Shough landing in New Orleans with the Saints at No. 93 overall, which ultimately proved to be true, just a round earlier.
Shough’s arm strength and accuracy drove him up on draft boards, but teams showed major concern over his age and injury history. He suffered three injuries in college that caused him to miss significant playing time. In 2021, Shough broke his collarbone, then injured his shoulder in 2022, and needed surgery for a broken fibula in 2023.
The 2024 season was Shough’s only full college season as a starter. He threw for 3,195 yards, 23 touchdowns, and six interceptions.
Previewing Saints vs. Chargers Preseason Week 1 Matchup
As the battle for the Saints’ QB1 spot heats up, both Shough and Spencer Rattler will get enough opportunities to impress in the preseason.
Rattler is expected to start in the Week 1 preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers, but it wouldn’t surprise many if the Saints’ rookie also gets some reps.
The Chargers are coming off a win in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game against the Detroit Lions. However, they suffered a significant loss this past week.
Star left tackle Rashawn Slater suffered a season-ending injury, and he will be a massive miss for Jim Harbaugh’s team, who are viewed as a Super Bowl contender. They will hope no other players get hurt before the start of the season.
