The wait is over, and the future is now in the Big Easy. New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore has informed the team that rookie quarterback Tyler Shough will take the reins as the new starting signal-caller,
sending Spencer Rattler to the bench, as first reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Rattler has put the ball in harm’s way far too many times over the past two games—four interceptions and two fumbles—stalling his momentum as the Saints look for a spark on offense.
Through eight starts in his sophomore season, Rattler has completed 174 of 256 passes (68.0%) for 1,586 yards and eight touchdowns, while throwing five interceptions and fumbling four times. He’s earned a 70.1 overall grade and a 76.9 rushing grade from Pro Football Focus, highlighted by a season-best 93.2 overall grade in the Week 6 loss to the New England Patriots. The 25-year-old holds a career record of 1-13 as a starter, and the Saints currently sit at 1-7—last in the NFC South and in position for the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Kellen Moore on Spencer Rattler prior to making his decision:
“He’s a really special person… His preparation has been very consistent, but the turnovers have been unfortunate, and they have to do a better job at protecting the football.”
Tyler Shough addressed whether he was prepared to step into action following the loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
“100%. I feel ready every single week… I was just ready to go in there and do my job and go play… My mindset is I’m going to attack, no matter what.”
Shough credited Rattler—and offenses around the league—for helping him prepare for his moment. Here’s what he had to say about his fellow Arizona native:
“Spencer is my guy. We’ve been preparing every single week. And we’re going to keep working to get better.”
Regarding Shough’s performance this past Sunday, when your rookie quarterback gets thrown into a game midway through the third quarter and still ends up with 30 passing attempts while your running backs combine for just six carries on the day (all from Alvin Kamara, who is managing an ankle injury), I don’t believe you can fairly judge Shough’s potential in that scenario. And on his lone interception, the ball was simply ripped out of Chris Olave’s hands—hard to put that one on Shough.
This upcoming Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams—one of the league’s top defenses—the focus shifts to how the second-round pick and seven-year collegiate veteran handles pressure while maintaining his poise and staying decisive. There’s no questioning his arm talent, so he’ll take his shots downfield. The bigger concern is how he responds when the pass rush closes in. The Rams rank second in the NFL in sacks with 26 (behind only the Denver Broncos’ 36), with LB Byron Young sitting second in the league at 10 sacks through just seven games. EDGE Jared Verse has been productive as well, with four sacks and a team-high 38 pressures, along with a 90.1 overall grade from PFF.
Throughout the Saints’ offseason program, there were times when Shough would tuck and run prematurely rather than work through his progressions, and he looked a bit antsy at points last week against Tampa Bay. This will be a big test for the 26-year-old rookie.
