The New Orleans Saints may have ended the 2025 season with a loss. However, optimism is suddenly overflowing at the most important position. Despite a heartbreaking Week 18 defeat to the Atlanta Falcons, belief around rookie QB Tyler Shough has only intensified. Teammates and coaches are increasingly convinced the Saints have found their long-term answer under center. As linebacker Demario Davis put it bluntly, New Orleans now has a “solidified QB1.” That statement carries real weight after years of instability at quarterback.
The Saints’ 19–17 loss in Atlanta was a bitter ending to an otherwise encouraging late-season stretch. Shough nearly authored another comeback. He threw a late fourth-quarter touchdown to keep hopes of winning alive before a critical interception and a failed onside kick sealed New Orleans’ fate. Even so, the performance fit a familiar pattern. Shough showed composure, aggression, and competitiveness despite an offense missing multiple key contributors. The narrow defeat ultimately confirmed the Saints’ elimination. It also handed the NFC South to Carolina via tiebreakers.
Zooming out, Shough’s 2025 season reads like a foundation year. After taking over as the starter midseason, he guided New Orleans to a 5–4 record. Those included impressive road wins over divisional rivals. He finished with 2,384 passing yards, 10 touchdowns, six interceptions, and three rushing scores. Those numbers don’t fully capture his command of the offense or growth under pressure. Perhaps more telling was how the locker room rallied around him. That's even as injuries eroded the supporting cast almost weekly.
Now comes the intriguing part. The Saints enter the offseason armed with cap flexibility and valuable draft capital. This gives them a realistic path to build around Shough rather than search for another stopgap. Finding the quarterback is the hardest part. New Orleans believes it’s already done that. That's why the Shough hype train isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
