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Cardinals to face Arizona native Spencer Rattler as starting QB vs. Saints in Week 1

Originally posted on Burn City Sports
By Tanner Tortorella | Last updated Aug 26, 2025 5:42 PM ET

GLENDALE – The final QB battle in the NFL was settle in the Bayou between Spencer Rattler and rookie Tyler Shough with the New Orleans Saints. The second-year QB Rattler was given the starting nod against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1. The Phoenix native is looking for his first career win. Rattler started six games last season and went 0-6 and threw for 1,317 passing yards, four touchdowns and five interceptions.

Rattler beat out fellow Arizona native in Shough, who the Saints took in the 2nd round of the 2025 draft. The duo played high school ball 40 minutes away from each other and now find themselves in the same QB room, facing off against their hometown team next week.

Rattler to start against Cardinals:

Spencer Rattler has been named the #Saints starting QB, Kellen Moore announced pic.twitter.com/AECr38PC2v

— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) August 26, 2025

Rattler claim to fame was being one of the elite high school quarterbacks in the nation. He appeared on the reality show QB1: Beyond the Lights, while attending Pinnacle high school as a five-star prospect and committing to Oklahoma. The 24-year-old remains the only Arizona quarterback to have over 11,000 career passing yards in high school.

Once he arrive in Norman, Rattler was backup to Super Bowl champion Jalen Hurts before getting his first opportunity his sophomore year. Rattler led the Big 12 in passing yards (3,031), touchdowns (28), and completion percentage (67.5%). The sky was the limit for Rattler, but soon the sky would began to fall.

A slow start to his junior season, saw Rattler replaced by future Heisman winner Caleb Williams. After getting the boot from the starting job, Rattler transferred to South Carolina for sparingly success. As Williams would be the first overall pick in the 2024 draft, Rattler would be taken 150th in the same draft class by the Saints.

Rattler has found his NFL home with New Orleans as he gets ready to be the Week 1 starter against fellow Oklahoma Sooners alumni Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray. The duo each had stellar success in Norman and will face off against one another in The Big Easy for the 2025 season opener.

This article first appeared on Burn City Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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