Latest news with #Shough
Fox Sports
28-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Saints rookie QB Tyler Shough ready for ‘once-in-a-lifetime opportunity'
He played for five different head coaches during his seven years in college — three years each at Oregon and Texas Tech, and a final season at Louisville — so learning a new offense is old hat for New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback Tyler Shough. "Yeah, a lot of familiarity," Shough told FOX Sports at the NFLPA Rookie Premiere event when asked about picking up another new scheme. "Obviously, it's all new terminology, but [it's just] different ways to get things done. From a run support perspective and passing game, there's different things. But all of it is pretty much the same thing." Selected 40th overall in the 2025 draft, Shough (pronounced "shuck") will compete with Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener for the starting job after veteran Derek Carr announced his retirement in early May due to a degenerative shoulder injury. "We'll rotate all of these guys," new Saints head coach Kellen Moore said about the three-QB competition. "We'll give them all opportunities. We'll be very patient with it and make sure all these guys get a chance to compete at a really high level." Shough got a jump-start by traveling to New Orleans even before rookie minicamp. "I wanted to get there early," he told FOX Sports. "I got there a couple days right after the draft, just to hang out with the guys. I couldn't be at the facility, obviously, so I was training at Tulane. … It was great because I got my feet wet a little bit already. I got to meet people and rekindle with some of my former teammates, like [Saints tight end and Oregon alum] Juwan Johnson. "It was really fun to get there. And now, rolling right into minicamp." With Carr gone, the Saints have one of the youngest and most inexperienced quarterback rooms in the league. At age 25, Shough is six months younger than Haener — and one year older than Rattler. Here's something else they have in common: None of the three has an NFL win on his résumé. The Saints, however, have three coaches who played QB at the NFL level in Moore, offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier and quarterbacks coach Scott Tolzien. In addition, senior offensive assistant Scott Linehan threw for more than 7,000 college yards at Idaho. In OC roles with Dallas, Los Angeles and Philadelphia, Moore molded talented quarterbacks with differing skill sets. That experience should help as he tries to get the most out of Shough. "He's extremely intelligent, and he knows the position like the back of his hand," Shough said about Moore. "The thing that is most attractive to me with him as a head coach is who he's been with and what he's done as a player and as a coach. "You've got Justin Herbert, Dak Prescott and Jalen Hurts. All three have different styles but have been successful in their own right. So I'm just excited to continue to learn the playbook and continue to grow with my teammates and go from there." Dan Manucci, who was Shough's private quarterback coach from eighth grade until his time at Texas Tech, said the QB has always been very mature and focused in his approach. Manucci thinks those qualities, along with Shough's 42 games played in college, make him ready for whatever the NFL has in store. "He's had a lot of reps and can make every throw known to man," Manucci said. "He's creative in that way, and he's confident he can make those off-platform kind of throws because he's had a lot of reps in working on that." What also attracted the Saints was Shough's resiliency and ability to work through tough situations. He broke his collarbone twice and suffered a broken leg at Texas Tech. He lost battles for the starting quarterback job at all three stops in college before finally showing what he could do as the unquestioned starter in his 2024 season at Louisville. Playing in a pro-style offense under head coach Jeff Brohm, Shough completed 63% of his passes for 3,195 yards, with 23 touchdowns and just six interceptions. The 6-foot-5, 220-pounder then put his physical tools on display at the combine, where he surprised NFL scouts by posting a 4.63 time in the 40-yard dash, after which he hyped up the crowd at Lucas Oil Stadium. He also showed impressive arm strength throwing the football. "My whole thing was I wanted to compete," Shough said. "It's the NFL Combine, so I don't know why you wouldn't want to compete and run. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. And I was just happy to be there. And for me, that's something I'm comfortable doing — extending the play and running. It wasn't something I did a lot at Louisville because they didn't ask me to. But in my previous time at Texas Tech and Oregon, that's something I did a lot. "I think it's necessary. You have to extend plays or create plays, but you also need to protect your body. And that's something I learned at Louisville. You don't need to take unnecessary hits, but you need to make plays when they're there." At rookie minicamp, Moore wasn't so much concerned with Shough's physicality, but rather how well he was prepared mentally. "He's done an excellent job," Moore said at minicamp. "For these quarterbacks, a lot of what you care about is how they command the huddle, how they command the whole operation when they come in here. Because it's a new system, a new language and all those things associated with it. He hopped in here and really did an excellent job of just taking control of it." Shough, the oldest player drafted in 2025, has been married for more than a year. His wife, Jordan, and their golden retriever, Murphy, are helping to keep him grounded as he makes this life transition. Shough wore No. 9 in college but has made a switch because future Hall of Famer Drew Brees made that number legendary for the Saints. No one has worn No. 9 since Brees retired in 2021. "No. 6 is good," Shough said, smiling. "It's an upside-down No. 9, so it's a cool number. I was happy with it." And he's thrilled with the chance to compete for a starting job in New Orleans. "I'm treating it the same way as if he [Carr] was there or not," Shough told FOX Sports. "I've got to continue to learn the playbook and grow. And I'm going to compete regardless, whatever the situation is. That's my focus right now. It's a great opportunity." Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on X at @eric_d_williams. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Get more from National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
PFF ranks the Saints' quarterbacks room worst in the NFL
The New Orleans Saints' quarterbacks have a lot of work to do this summer in proving their doubters wrong. With Derek Carr headed for retirement, the QB room is manned by second-year pro Spencer Rattler, rookies Tyler Shough (the presumptive starter) and Hunter Dekkers, plus third-year backup Jake Haener -- who is recovering from an oblique muscle injury and won't be able to throw until training camp. And none of those four players have won a game in the NFL. Haener was benched at halftime in his lone start last year. Rattler went 0-for-6 against some tough competition. Shough and Dekkers are unknown quantities. All told, they rank last among the NFL's 32 teams according to Pro Football Focus analyst John Kosko: One of the most surprising developments of the 2025 NFL Draft was Tyler Shough being the third quarterback off the board. The 26-year-old rookie spent seven years in college and now enters a wide-open competition in New Orleans following Derek Carr's retirement. Between Shough, Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener, the Saints' quarterback room is arguably the weakest in the league. Regardless of who starts, expectations are low, though fans can at least hope Shough delivers a few highlight-reel moments like this gem from his 2024 season. Advertisement That's rough, but it's on these young guns to change their perception. Surprising the league with some training camp highlights and big throws in preseason, followed up by some much-needed wins early in September, would go a long way. But for now the Saints are at the bottom of PFF's sixth (and lowest) tier. There's nowhere to go but up. If you're curious how the NFC South shakes out, PFF has both the Carolina Panthers (at No. 20) and the Atlanta Falcons (No. 23) in Tier 4, described as "young players with a wide range of potential outcomes." Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield is slotted a tier higher at No. 13, among other passers defined as "solid starters, but they need more help." Either Bryce Young or Michael Penix Jr. could take a take step back, but they could also thrive and ascend, too. For now the Saints and Shough are alone at the bottom. This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: NFL quarterback rankings: PFF says Saints are the league's worst
USA Today
23-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
PFF ranks the Saints' quarterbacks room worst in the NFL
PFF ranks the Saints' quarterbacks room worst in the NFL The New Orleans Saints' quarterbacks have a lot of work to do this summer in proving their doubters wrong. With Derek Carr headed for retirement, the QB room is manned by second-year pro Spencer Rattler, rookies Tyler Shough (the presumptive starter) and Hunter Dekkers, plus third-year backup Jake Haener -- who is recovering from an oblique muscle injury and won't be able to throw until training camp. And none of those four players have won a game in the NFL. Haener was benched at halftime in his lone start last year. Rattler went 0-for-6 against some tough competition. Shough and Dekkers are unknown quantities. All told, they rank last among the NFL's 32 teams according to Pro Football Focus analyst John Kosko: One of the most surprising developments of the 2025 NFL Draft was Tyler Shough being the third quarterback off the board. The 26-year-old rookie spent seven years in college and now enters a wide-open competition in New Orleans following Derek Carr's retirement. Between Shough, Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener, the Saints' quarterback room is arguably the weakest in the league. Regardless of who starts, expectations are low, though fans can at least hope Shough delivers a few highlight-reel moments like this gem from his 2024 season. That's rough, but it's on these young guns to change their perception. Surprising the league with some training camp highlights and big throws in preseason, followed up by some much-needed wins early in September, would go a long way. But for now the Saints are at the bottom of PFF's sixth (and lowest) tier. There's nowhere to go but up. If you're curious how the NFC South shakes out, PFF has both the Carolina Panthers (at No. 20) and the Atlanta Falcons (No. 23) in Tier 4, described as "young players with a wide range of potential outcomes." Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield is slotted a tier higher at No. 13, among other passers defined as "solid starters, but they need more help." Either Bryce Young or Michael Penix Jr. could take a take step back, but they could also thrive and ascend, too. For now the Saints and Shough are alone at the bottom.
Fox Sports
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Draftees get crash course in being an NFL player at NFLPA Rookie Premiere
LOS ANGELES — Tyler Shough always wanted a Joe Montana jersey. Growing up in Chandler, Ariz., Shough eyed the legendary NFL quarterback's No. 16 hanging over his uncle's mantle. To his surprise, the New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback received a video message from Montana during a Fanatics branding photo shoot at the NFLPA Rookie Premiere event over the weekend. Then he found a signed Montana jersey hiding underneath his seat. "That was a surreal moment," Shough told FOX Sports. "I heard about it beforehand because I was in one of the later groups. They give you a jersey from someone in the league, and I was like, 'That's going to be sweet.' "So I was expecting a current player or whoever. But then Joe Montana, oh my gosh." Shough was one of 42 players invited to the NFLPA's Rookie Premiere this year. What started as a trading card photo shoot in 1994 has grown into the NFL Players Association hosting an annual event for the top marketable rookies, connecting them with business opportunities and partners created by the league's union. The 2025 event included interactions with brand sponsors such as trading card company Panini America, Fanatics, Nike, EA Sports and EXOS training facility. Fanatics hosted a jersey reveal on the rooftop floor of the InterContinental hotel in downtown Los Angeles. The players also participated in a photo shoot in full uniform at Cal Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks. To open the weekend, current and former NFL players — including Torry Holt, Sam Acho, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Equanimeous St. Brown and George Hegamin — mentored the rookies on the pitfalls to avoid entering the league and how to get the most out of their experience. Holt, a five-time Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist and brand ambassador for Panini, kept it simple. "Obviously No. 1, take advantage of the opportunities that are in front of you, for sure," Holt told FOX Sports. "But also make sure you keep football first, because that's going to generate opportunities off the field with the Paninis and others by doing what you're supposed to do on the field. "And then know your assignment. That's part of doing your job. That's part of creating opportunities like this. And then have fun. Really, enjoy being in your environment so that you can be a good teammate. Enjoy being around your teammates, and then everything else will take care of itself." Because these players are from one of the first classes to arrive in the NIL era, many have already made millions in endorsements and sponsorships, so they have a head start in understanding the financial aspects of the game and how to build their brand. "What's different is they've already engaged with sponsors before," said Matt Curtin, president of NFL Players Inc., a for-profit marketing and licensing arm of the NFLPA. "A lot of them have done it in the context of a collective. They've already received royalties from the sale of their jerseys in most cases. Increasingly, because of the return of the college game, they have appeared in a video game already. "Those things used to happen for the first time once they arrived here. Another thing that has changed is … this [used to be] the first time they got paid. So everything was new, and the economics of it were much more compelling and exciting. What's not different is you're only a rookie once. And for a lot of these products, the rookies generate a lot of excitement. Rookie jerseys sell more on average than other jerseys because it's the first time you can go buy it, and people are excited to buy it." Shough spent six years in college at three schools — Oregon, Texas Tech and Louisville — so he has plenty of experience in the NIL world. But for the 25-year-old, the NFLPA event provided an opportunity to network and get to know other players in his draft class. "I think for me, the best part is just seeing everybody," Shough said. "Seeing all these new faces, rekindling with old, familiar faces. Getting to meet new brands. It's been non-stop action. It's kind of been like a theme park almost. It's been really fun to hang out with everybody." Fanatics held content shoots over the weekend, including a locker room scene where rookies discussed their journey to the league and received those surprise video messages from NFL legends they looked up to as kids. The concept is the brainchild of Adam Lock, vice president and creative director for Fanatics. Lock said he wanted to show that players are fans too, just like everyone else. New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo got teary-eyed after receiving some words of wisdom and a signed jersey from one of his idols, former Tennessee Titans star running back Eddie George. At the jersey reveal, players anxiously waited behind ropes in front of a black curtain, with hip-hop beats bumping in the background. Once the curtain dropped, players and their families hurriedly moved in to see the jerseys for the first time, like enthusiastic kids unwrapping presents from under the Christmas tree. "It's just special to recognize all those who helped me get here," Giants first-round pick Jaxson Dart told FOX Sports. "I got my family, got my parents here. It's a surreal feeling to see [my jersey] for the first time. It's super sick." Curtin previously worked on Wall Street for 26 years, where he developed a relationship with NFLPA Executive Director Lloyd Howell Jr. For the union, the weekend is an opportunity to give players an inside look at how the business works. "We want the players to have a good experience," Curtin told FOX Sports. "Ultimately, though, we have $350 million in player revenue in Players Inc. Most of that goes back to the players, and some of it funds the union. "But why we ultimately exist is the league does over $20 billion in revenue. Through the collective bargaining efforts of our predecessors, the players get 48.4% of that. … But one of the things I've impressed upon them is, 'Look, this collection of 42 guys will never be in the same room again. So get to know one another — the camaraderie and brotherhood of that — and spending time together." For Shough and other rookies, they've already got a jump start on branding themselves. Now it's just building on that process. "There's more of a base knowledge in terms of what to expect, which helps," Shough said. "You've had interactions with people already. It's really prepared guys for what it looks like at the next level." And for the 42 players who attended the Rookie Premiere event, the next level is here. Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on X at @eric_d_williams. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Get more from National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Watch: New Orleans Saints second-round pick Tyler Shough at rookie camp Saturday
METAIRIE, La. (WGNO) — Saturday marked the media viewing session at the New Orleans Saints rookie camp, giving us our first look at second-round pick Tyler Shough. Shough was selected 40th overall out of Louisville, where he had a breakout 2024 campaign with the Cardinals. Advertisement Shough is expected to compete with Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener for the starting quarterback position following the news of Derek Carr's retirement. Click the video below to hear from the new Saints QB regarding rookie minicamp, Carr's announcement and which Louisiana foods Shough has indulged in so far. Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter. Latest Posts Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGNO.
