Jan 4, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) celebrates after a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons in the second quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Brett Davis-Imagn Images

What Saints’ Kellen Moore Saw in Tyler Shough

Originally posted on New Orleans Saints on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Feb 11, 2026 4:56 PM ET

The New Orleans Saints have a lot to be excited about as the 2026 offseason kicks off.

While the Saints didn't make the playoffs this past season, there aren't many teams that didn't with a more positive outlook than New Orleans right now. Kellen Moore showed clear progress from the beginning of the season to the end as the team's head coach. It was Moore's first season as a head coach in the National Football League. Unsurprisingly, there were some hiccups early on. But he progressed throughout the campaign and the team did overall as well.

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One of the biggest reasons why the team progressed — and there is hope around the franchise right now — was the ascension of rookie quarterback Tyler Shough. He made just nine starts in the second half of the season, but they were enough to show what this franchise can be. The Saints went 5-4 in games started by Shough and there are reasons for optimism. He seemed to get better each week. Plus, the rookie class as a whole was phenomenal. Now, the Saints just need to continue building.

The Saints QB turned heads in 2025

The Saints committed to Shough early on after the regular season came to a close. He didn't just impress the fanbase, but the coaching staff as well. On Wednesday, Moore opened up about what he saw from the young signal-caller, as shared by Saints team reporter John DeShazier.

"Like so many players on our team, (he) just got better each and every week," Moore said. "Keep getting better — that's on the field, that's off the field, that's practice habits, the preparation habits. There's a lot of things from a young player standpoint that you're going to get better at, and I think Tyler certainly has done a really good job of that. And then finding his leadership space in this entire thing is an important aspect."

It's hard not to be excited about Shough. Now, it's only a matter of finding the pieces to put around him to take the offense to another level.

More NFL: Saints Mock Draft: New Orleans Lands Standout 711-Yard WR

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

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