A quarterback change is coming for the New Orleans Saints.
Rookie Tyler Shough will start for the Saints in their Week 9 game against the Los Angeles Rams, according to a league source, replacing Spencer Rattler in the starting lineup. The NFL Network was the first to report the news.
Saints coach Kellen Moore declined to name a starter Monday after the Saints dropped to 1-7 with a 23-3 loss to Tampa Bay, saying the staff was going to deliberate on its choice after dissecting the game film. But the move was somewhat expected.
Shough, whom the Saints selected with the No. 40 pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, saw his most extensive playing time in place of an ineffective Rattler during the second half of the Tampa Bay loss.
Prior to Sunday's game, Shough had only been on the field for one offensive series late in a blowout loss to Seattle. He threw two incompletions as the Saints went three and out.
But against the Buccaneers, Shough attempted 30 passes in the final 18 minutes of game time, leading four offensive drives. Moore said after the game that he turned to Shough in search of a spark, and it had less to do with Rattler's performance than that of the offense as a whole.
But with the Saints' playoff chances already almost completely gone and with a little more than half of the season to go, the Saints decided to see what their rookie can do in the starting role.
New Orleans selected Shough with the No. 40 pick in the second round of this year's draft — and, at the time, he was joining a team that included veteran Derek Carr as well as Rattler and 2023 draft pick Jake Haener.
Carr abruptly retired in the weeks following the draft, in part because of a shoulder injury that did not become public until April and likely would have cost him most if not all of the 2025 season. His retirement created a void at the most important position on the roster.
Shough, Rattler and Haener all entered training camp in a competition for the starting job. New Orleans quickly whittled the competition down between Shough and Rattler, and Rattler ultimately won the job with his steady performance and command of the offense.
Though the Saints were not winning games, Rattler performed admirably to start the season.
This is a developing story that will be updated shortly.
Staff writer Matthew Paras contributed to this report.