Since Derek Carr's sudden retirement back in May, New Orleans Saints quarterbacks Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shough have been competing against each other for the starting job in New Orleans.
Three months later, the competition is still going strong, and it is the only one still active in the NFL. That's probably for one main reason: their nearly identical numbers on the stat sheet. Rattler has completed 25/35 of his passes for 252 passing yards, one touchdown, and one interception through the first two preseason games, while Shough has completed 24/34 for 231 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.
The competition is expected to roll into the last week of training camp along with the last preseason game. Head coach Kellen Moore has said time and time again that both quarterbacks will get as many reps as necessary. "We'll see," the first-year head coach said when asked if a decision could come this week. "Film will be an important aspect of this thing, and we'll just see how everything progresses."
Tyler Shough is already an outlier for the Saints
Rookie quarterbacks playing for the Saints are hard to come by. Rarely selecting them in the first three rounds, the team has historically found its franchise quarterback through free agency. So, being drafted in the second round back in April already makes Tyler Shough an outlier. If he were to start week one, he would be the first rookie quarterback to do so for the Saints since Archie Manning back in 1971.
When asked about the ongoing competition Shough says that he doesn't worry whether he's in the lead or not. "Every single day, we're just trying to make the team better. We're trying to learn as much as we can," the rookie said to the media. "We've all been in competitions before; we understand that only one guy can play. But anyway we can continue to make each other better; at the end of the day, we're all going to be better."
With the Saints drafting Tyler Shough in the second round back in April, Rattler has not been the favorite to win the job. However, he has yet to let that bother him. "You can't control that; that's out of your control. Control what you can." He said at the Saints Hall of Fame Celebrity Golf Classic.
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