Aug 23, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore walks the sideline before a game against the Denver Broncos at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Kellen Moore Announces Saints' Starting QB After Position Battle

Originally posted on New Orleans Saints on SI
By Zach Pressnell | Last updated Aug 26, 2025 3:06 PM ET

The New Orleans Saints held a heated quarterback battle between rookie Tyler Shough, Spencer Rattler, and Jake Haener this preseason. With Haener being cut earlier this week, it was clear there were only two players in the running to start in New Orleans.

On Tuesday afternoon, Saints head coach Kellen Moore announced that Rattler had won the job and would be the team's starting quarterback in Week 1.

"Spencer Rattler is our starting quarterback. Really, really excited for him. He's done an awesome job this offseason. So he's just been consistent," Moore said. "He's made some really good decisions throughout this whole entire process. And, you know, his ability to make plays with his arm and his feet have certainly shown up. And so I'm really, really excited about Spencer. He's earned this opportunity. He's going to do a tremendous job for us. At the same time, we're really, really fortunate. We got Tyler (Shough). Love the development that he's had over the course of this entire offseason.

Saints announce Spencer Rattler as starting quarterback for Week 1

"He's done a number of things for the first time in his career, you know, just navigating that. And I think that's an important aspect when you're a younger quarterback to let the whole process play itself out. I thought he capped it off with just an excellent performance against Denver on the last preseason game. I thought he did a really, really good job. And so I'm a big believer in just the importance of developing quarterbacks, developing them the right way. There's a process for both of these guys. Give them the space to develop. And I think we've got two guys that are going to have great careers for us."

This isn't necessarily a loss for Shough, as it seems like he needs a bit more time to develop in the NFL.

As for Rattler, this is a huge step in the right direction for his career. Last season, Rattler looked completely overwhelmed at times, as he was forced to step in with Derek Carr on the bench with injuries. Now, the young quarterback can hold his own in the NFL. He's earned the trust of Coach Moore and it'll be very intriguing to see how his season goes.

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This article first appeared on New Orleans Saints on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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