The New Orleans Saints were quick to give Tyler Shough, their second-round pick from the 2025 NFL Draft, their vote of confidence as the team’s starting quarterback heading into the 2026 season.
asserted
Saints → give → season
Shough, who sat as a backup to start the 2025 season, gets an entire offseason and training camp to prepare for the starting role compared to a full quarterback battle this time last year.
Fox News Digital spoke to Shough during Super Bowl week in February, when he expressed his excitement about having more time to develop and learn head coach Kellen Moore’s offense.
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he → sit → offense
He also mentioned an "incredible mentor" that has helped him since he was drafted by New Orleans.
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he → mention → Orleans
Drew Brees, the Saints' legendary quarterback who was just inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, gave words of advice to Shough, and loved what he saw from him when Moore turned the offensive keys over to him last season.
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Moore → induct → him
"I think Shough is in an unbelievable situation," Brees told Fox News Digital in a recent interview.
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Brees → think → interview
"He showed a ton of leadership traits this offseason.
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He → show → traits
Gathering the guys together, structuring offseason workouts, getting them ready for camp."
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them → gather → camp
Shough was 25 years old when he came out of Louisville last year, playing for three different programs across seven years.
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he → come → years
While some viewed this as a crutch for Shough to break into the NFL, Brees viewed it differently.
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Brees → view → it
"First off, Tyler Shough is a guy mature beyond his years," Brees explained.
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Brees → explain → years
"I think he spent seven years in college — three at [Texas] Tech, three at Oregon and one at Louisville.
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he → think → Louisville
He battled through his own fair share of injuries and adversity.
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He → battle → injuries
So again, I think you learn a lot, develop a lot of gratitude.
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you → think → gratitude
I think he was at a point in his career where he didn’t think the NFL was going to be an option.
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NFL → think → career
I think going to Louisville and being with Jeff Brohm, who I know really well — former coach at Purdue and former NFL quarterback.
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I → think → Purdue
Really helped develop him and get him to the next level of, ‘Man, you can do this.
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you → develop → this
You can play at a very high level.
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You → play → level
The Saints also went with Spencer Rattler as their starting quarterback to begin the 2025 season, but by Week 9, Moore turned the job over to Shough.
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Moore → go → Shough
He finished 5-4 in those starts, including a four-game win streak that had New Orleans feeling great about the future.
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Orleans → finish → future
Brees believes that time sitting and observing helped Shough.
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time → believe → Shough
"I think him coming in last year, sitting for half the season, you observe so much when you do that.
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you → think → that
When you step in, it’s like, ‘You’ve earned this.
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You → step → this
It’s my time.
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It → ’ → ?
Here we go,’" Brees said.
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Brees → go → ?
"He just got incrementally better every week.
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He → get → ?
He’s super talented.
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He → ’ → ?
He’s big, strong, can throw the ball.
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He → ’ → ball
Very good athlete, so you can do a lot in the run game with him.
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you → do → him
He has a lot of Josh Allen qualities in that way — running with the size and athleticism.
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He → have → size
And the Saints clearly saw everything they needed to start loading up on offense.
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they → see → offense
"Man, they’ve built some pieces around him.
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they → build → him
They sign Chris Olave to a long-term deal.
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They → sign → deal
They draft Jordyn Tyson.
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They → draft → Tyson
Unfortunately, I know he’s got the hamstring now for two months.
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he → know → months
Nonetheless, he’s got these playmakers around him," Brees said.
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Brees → get → him
"They sign [Travis] Etienne [Jr.], you got Alvin Kamara, you got Juwan Johnson.
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you → sign → Johnson
You got a really good O-line.
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You → get → line
You drafted right tackle, left tackle in the first round the two years previous.
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You → draft → round
"For all those reasons, I think he’s poised to continue to go in this upwards trajectory.
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he → think → trajectory
SPORTS ALL IN ONE PLACE
Outside of football, Brees is also a businessman, being a co-owner and partner in Walk-on’s Sports Bistreaux, one of the fastest-growing sports bar franchise concepts in the country.
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Brees → grow → country
…and 19 more, not listed.
The Aporia
