NFL CAREER – The Saints selected Tyler Shough in the second round (40th overall) in the 2025 NFL Draft out of Louisville, setting their eyes on development with first-year head coach Kellen Moore. However, once Shough took over the starting job in Week Nine, he never looked back, completing 221-of-327 passes (67.6 pct.) for 2,384 yards with ten touchdowns and a 91.3 passer rating. He also rushed 45 times for 186 yards and three touchdowns. The Chandler, Ariz. native finished his inaugural campaign leading all rookie QBs in passing yards per game (216.7), completion percentage (67.6), passer rating (91.3), third down passer rating (NFL-best 103.3), wins as a starter (five), and also had the second-most rushing touchdowns by a rookie QB (three). Shough will look to continue his development during his first full offseason in New Orleans and help lead the Saints back to the postseason.
CAREER TRANSACTIONS – Signed to a four-year contract, 7/21/25; Selected in the second round (40th overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft.
HONORS – 2025: Pepsi Zero Sugar NFL Rookie of the Year; Panini Senior Bowl NFC Rookie of the Year; All-Rookie (ESPN, PFWA, Pro Football Focus): NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month (Dec./Jan.).
2025 – In 11 games, starting the season's last nine contests, completed 221-of-327 passes (67.6 pct.) for 2,384 yards with ten touchdowns. Rushed 45 times for 186 yards with three touchdowns and also for a two-point conversion. Finalist for AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year…At Seattle, Sep. 21, made NFL debut by rotating in at QB in fourth quarter, making two pass attempts…Vs. Tampa Bay, Oct. 26, came in late in the third quarter and played the rest of the game, finishing 17-for-30 for 128 yards and an interception. Shough also rushed three times for 12 yards (4.0 avg.)…Started first game as Saint at Los Angeles Rams, Nov. 2, and went 15-of-24 (62.5 pct.) for 176 yards, a TD pass to Juwan Johnson and an interception. Also rushed once for two yards…At Carolina, Nov. 9, Started and finished 19-of-27 for 282 (70.4 pct.) yards with two touchdowns and a 128.9 passer rating. With the Saints victory, Shough became the first Saints rookie to win a start since Dave Wilson, when the Saints won at the L. A. Rams (Nov. 8, 1981). Overall, became the fourth Saints rookie to win a start, joining Wilson, Larry Cipa (1974) and Manning (1971). The last time a Saints quarterback had two or more TD passes and zero interceptions in one of his first two career starts was Manning on Sept. 26, 1971, vs. San Francisco. No Saints signal-caller has ever recorded 282+ passing yards, 2+ passing TDs and zero interceptions on the road in one of their first two starts. He and Head Coach Kellen Moore became the first rookie quarterback and first-year head coach duo to win a game in franchise history…Vs. Atlanta, Nov. 23, finished 30-for-43 (69.8 pct.) for 243 yards, with one interception. Carried seven times for 22 yards…At Miami, Nov. 30, finished 26-for-38 (65.8 pct.) for 239 yards, two touchdowns, one interception and a 91.9 passer rating. Rushed six times for 18 yards. Rushed for a successful two-point conversion attempt and intercepted on a two-point conversion attempt…At Tampa Bay, Dec. 7, finished 13-of-20 (65.0 pct.) for 144 yards, one interception. Had a career day on the ground, carrying seven times (tied career-high) for a career-high 55 yards and career-best two touchdowns, with his longest rush being a career-long 34-yard touchdown. Shough's two scores were the first time a Saints rookie QB had two rushing TDs since Archie Manning (vs. Dallas on 10/17/71) and his 55 yards rushing are the most in franchise history by a rookie QB. Shough executed the first fourth quarter game-winning drive of his career, when with the score tied 17-17, he drove New Orleans down the field 53 yards on nine plays, ending with a 13-yard rushing TD. In addition to the rushing touchdown, Shough completed three-of-four passes for 36 yards on the game-winning drive…Vs. Carolina, Dec. 14, finished 24-for-32 (75.0 pct.) for 272 yards with one touchdown pass, a 110.4 QB rating, and rushed eight times for 32 yards. Shough is the first Saints rookie QB to ever win a start in the Caesars Superdome and the first to win back-to-back games. With Shough's fourth quarter game-winning drive in Week 15, it is the first time a Saints signal-caller has had fourth quarter/overtime game-winning drives in consecutive contests since Drew Brees in Weeks Five (team had bye in Week Six), Seven and Eight of the 2020 season…Vs. New York Jets, Dec. 21, went 32-of-49 (65.3 pct.) for 308 yards with one touchdown pass, and also carried two times for eight yards. 308-yard passing performance was the first 300-yard game of his career, becoming the first Saints rookie QB to ever have a 300-yard+ game and only one of two rookie quarterbacks to have a 300-yard game…At Tennessee, Dec. 28, started and finished 22-of-27 (81.5 pct.) for 333 yards with two touchdowns, a 142.4 passer rating and rushed three times for eight yards. His 333 passing yards set a new career-high for the rookie signal-caller. He also rushed four times for six yards. After throwing for 308 yards in Week 16, with his 333-yard passing performance, Shough is the first rookie quarterback to have back-to-back 300-yard passing games since the Houston Texans' C.J. Stroud, who did so in four consecutive games (11/5-11/26/23), that season's NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. With fourth consecutive win as starter, Shough joined Bobby Hebert, Wade Wilson, Jeff Blake, Aaron Brooks, Drew Brees and Teddy Bridgewater as only the seventh Saints signal-caller to win four straight starts in a season. Shough also set new career-highs in completion percentage (81.5 pct.), passing yards, passing yards per attempt (12.3) and passer rating…In finale at Atlanta, 1/4/26, finished 23-of-35 (65.7 pct.) for 259 yards, one touchdown and an interception and rushed three times for 34 yards with a touchdown. Finished the campaign leading all rookie QBs in passing yards per game (216.7), completion percentage (67.6), third down passer rating (NFL-best 103.3), wins as a starter (five) and also had the second-most rushing touchdowns by a rookie QB (three). With 2,256 passing yards through his first nine starts, gives him the third-highest total in franchise history for a signal-caller through his first nine starts with the team behind Brees (2,604) and Jim Everett (2,507). Selected as NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month for his performance in Weeks 14-18 after completing 114-of-163 passes (69.9 pct.) for 1,316 yards with five touchdowns, two interceptions and a 99.1 passer rating (111.6 on third down) over the final month of the regular season. Shough also rushed 24 times for 135 yards with three touchdowns during the stretch.
COLLEGE – In seven seasons at Oregon (2018-20), Texas Tech (2021-23) and Louisville (2024), played in 41 games and completed 599-of-951 passes (63.0 pct.) for 7,820 yards with 59 touchdowns, carrying 246 times for 733 yards with 11 scores…Started all 12 games in only season at Louisville, where he was selected as nation's consensus Comeback Player of the Year, rebounding from a season-ending leg injury suffered in 2023 at Texas Tech. Completed 244-of-389 (62.7 pct.) passes for 3,195 yards with 23 touchdowns and only six interceptions, recording an 8-4 record as a starter, leading them to Sun Bowl berth…Passing yards and TD passes ranked fourth and fifth in the ACC…Tied program record for most passing TDs in Louisville debut. Honorable mention All-ACC…Ranked 20th nationally in passing yards and 29th in TD passes...Tallied 329 yards and two TD passes against SMU; including the Cardinals' longest completion of season-an 86-yard touchdown…Had a total of 231 passing yards resulting in one touchdown at Virginia…Threw for 342 yards and a season-high tying four TDs vs. Miami. Had season-high of 31 completions and 51 attempts…Completed 73.7 percent of his throws for 332 yards and two TDs against Boston College…Completed 293 passing yards for two touchdowns in final home game versus Pitt...Helped snap five-game losing streak to Kentucky…Limited to four games in 2023 after suffering season-ending leg injury in Big 12 opener at West Virginia. Completed 67-of-111 passes (60.4 pct.) for 746 yards and seven touchdowns and rushed 48 times for 149 yards and a pair of touchdowns…Member of the captains circle entering the season after winning the starting quarterback job in the summer…Completed 31-of-47 passes for 338 yards and three TDs in opener at Wyoming. Marked fifth 300-yard passing performance of career and his third as a Red Raider…Rushed for 36 yards…Followed by completing 24-of-38 passes for 282 yards and three interceptions the next week against Oregon - his previous school. Rushed 23 times for 101 yards and a TD, marking the second 100-yard rushing outing of career. Became first Red Raider QB since Rodney Allison in 1976 to record multiple career games with 100 rushing yards…Appeared in seven games with five starts, all wins, where he completed 106-of-177 passes for 1,304 yards and seven TDs in 2022…Missed six games early in season due to a shoulder injury suffered in opener…Came off bench for two games before returning to starting role for final four contests…Averaged 243.8 passing yards per game in contests he started as well as 300.0 yards of total offense per game. Of his 106 completions, 46 went for 10+ yards, 21 resulted in 20+ yards, 12 were for 30+ yards and three finished at 40 yards or longer. Rushed for 269 yards and four TDs on 72 carries…The Red Raiders' third-leading rusher…Had at least ten carries in three of final four starts, the lone exception being nine attempts in span against Oklahoma…Had at least 30 rushing yards in all four of those games with two games with 70 or more yards and one 100-yard performance (122)…Named Texas Tech's starter out of preseason camp in 2021, before a broken collarbone eventually limited him to four starts…Completed 64-of-92 (69.5 pct.) of his passes for 872 yards and six TDs up to that point with 14 rushing yards and two scores…Returned to practice late in season but wasn't cleared for contact…Made Red Raider debut completing 17-of-24 passes for 231 yards and a TD in come-from-behind win over Houston…Nine-of-11 for 68 yards against Texas at the time of injury, which came after he dove into the end zone for a six-yard TD…Started in all seven games for an Oregon program that finished 5-2 in COVID-19 shortened season…Completed 63.4 percent of his passes overall (106-for-167) for 1,559 yards and 13 TDs with only six interceptions…Added 66 carries for 271 yards and two TDs…Threw for at least 200 yards in all five regular-season starts and hit 300-yard mark twice…Among Pac-12 and FBS leaders in several offensive categories, finishing seventh nationally in passing yards per completion (14.7), 12th in yards per pass attempt (9.34) and 15th in passing efficiency (160.4)…Pac-12 leader in all three categories and ranked second in league for passing TDs (13), passing yards (1,559), points responsible for (92) as well as fourth for completion percentage (63.5), passing yards per game (222.7) and points responsible for per game (13.1)…Made first career start vs. Stanford, leading Ducks to win after throwing for 227 yards and a TD (17-of-26 passing). Found the end zone on the ground as well as part of 11 carries for 85 yards (7.7 avg.)…Rushed for 80-plus yards again the following week at Washington State, which included a 33-yard carry…Totaled 81 yards on nine carries (9.0 avg.) vs. the Cougars to go along with 312 passing yards and four TDs on 21-of-30 passing…Marked first career 300-yard passing game…Served as primary backup to eventual NFL first-round pick Justin Herbert in 2019…Saw action in five games for Ducks, throwing for 144 yards and three TDs on only 12-of-15 attempts…Inserted at QB against Auburn, Nevada, Montana, Colorado and at USC…Impressed in second half vs. Nevada, completing eight-of-nine passes to eight different receivers for 92 yards and two TDs…First career completion went for a TD after finding Jaylon Redd for a seven-yard score…One-for-two later in the year for 14 yards versus Colorado and then two-for-three for 41 yards and another TD at USC…TD against the Trojans was a fourth quarter 36-yard strike. Redshirted in first year in Eugene (2018) and appeared in three games for eight total snaps…Graduated from Oregon in only three years with two bachelor's degrees in criminal justice and political science...Earned a master's degree in interdisciplinary studies from Texas Tech.
PERSONAL – Attended Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.) HS…Among top quarterback prospects in nation coming out of high school…Threw for 3,071 yards and 30 TDs with only five interceptions as in 2017…Garnered first-team 6A Premier League as well as first-team All-Chandler Unified School District…Recognized as first-team scholar athlete by NFF (Valley of the Sun chapter)…Previously totaled 2,079 passing yards and 27 TDs in 2016, as honorable mention All-Premier League…Participated in the Elite 11 camp with nation's top QB prospects…Consensus four-star and top-300 prospect…No. 1 player in Arizona (Rivals, 247Sports)…No. 94 overall prospect in 2018 class and No. 6 pro-style QB by 247Sports…No. 266 overall in ESPN300 and No. 2 player from Arizona…No. 1 prospect in Arizona and 40 overall in 247Sports composite rankings...Younger brother, Brady, played safety at Northern Arizona...Father, Glenn, was a football student-athlete at Cal Lutheran...Mother, Dana, was possibly the most gifted member of the family as she originally committed to play softball at Oregon State...She later attended Arizona State to earn her bachelor's degree in teaching…During 2025 season, Shough, Erik McCoy, Dillon Radunz, Treyton Welch and Will Clapp visited St. Pius X Elementary, where they answered questions and signed Rally Towels…For the NFL's "My Cause My Cleats Game", wore shoes to show support for Youth Force Nola, designed by Ebbie Thomas, the wife of Saints Associate Head Coach/Running Backs Joel Thomas…Served as the grand marshal for the Krewe of Pygmalion Mardi Gras parade…In January, provided encouragement for participants in the fourth annual Battle of the Branches flag football tournament at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center, co-sponsored by Dudley DeBosier, which featured active-duty military members and veterans from all branches of service competing in tournament-style games honoring their service…In February, visited a Rouses Market celebrating a grand opening in Marrero, meeting with shoppers and surprising them with gift cards…In March, participated in a promotional tour of France with right tackle Taliese Fuaga in advance of the team's scheduled regular season matchup in Paris…In March, participated in the Savannah Bananas' appearance at the Caesars Superdome…In May, participated in the team's "Inside The Brand" presentation to corporate sponsors, joining teammates guard David Edwards, safety Justin Reid and linebacker Kaden Elliss to discuss the team's optimism for 2026…Tyler James Shough was born on September 28, 1999 in Chandler, Ariz.
