For most of his college career, Tyler Shough was the guy you forgot was still playing. Bounced between programs. Banged up more times than you could count. Seven seasons. Three schools. And for every high, there always seemed to be a low right behind it. By the time he landed at Louisville, it felt like his story had already been written—a talented quarterback who just couldn’t catch a break.

But football doesn’t care about the script. And on one perfect Saturday night against Miami, Tyler Shough didn’t just break through—he broke out. It was the kind of performance that made even the skeptics stop and rewind the tape. One moment in particular caught the attention of former USC QB and analyst Max Browne, who walked through the game on his May 25th show.

“I thought we were figuring out why he’s a second-round draft pick. Well, the very next play is the reason why,” Browne said. “The sign of great quarterbacks is how do they respond after they’re the one that makes a mistake… Tyler Shough doesn’t blink at all. There’s a dude in his face hitting this deep over; he gets hit underneath his chin, and this is an absolute dime.”

That was the turning point. Same concept. Same play-action. One snap after missing, Shough stood tall, took a shot under the chin, and still delivered a perfect deep over. It wasn’t just a good throw—it was the kind of throw that makes NFL coaches say: That’s our guy.

“This is the type of throw that when Kellen Moore turns on the film, he says, ‘Sign me up, this is my signal caller,’” Browne added.

That one play was special. But it was the Miami game—the whole thing—that slammed the door shut on Tyler Shough’s college struggles.

Against Cam Ward’s high-flying Hurricanes, Shough delivered what Max Browne called “flawless” tape. No gimmicks. No excuses. Just NFL-level throws from start to finish. The most telling plays? A 35-yard seam strike that split the safeties like a laser. A frozen-rope 10-yard out from the opposite hash that screamed pro-ready arm. And a third throw—under pressure, perfectly placed—that left defenders looking at each other, like, what more could we do?

Shough didn’t just manage the game—he owned it. That night, the playbook was wide open, and Louisville trusted him to run the show. He responded by throwing receivers open, manipulating coverage, and keeping the defense guessing. More importantly, he showed the kind of command and toughness that NFL scouts crave.

And yet—no one outside Louisville seemed to notice. For most of his career, Shough was an afterthought. Injuries cut short promising runs at Oregon and Texas Tech. Even at Louisville, he wasn’t a preseason headline. But in that game, he didn’t just look like a quarterback… he looked like the guy.

Max Browne admitted it caught him off guard. “He’s still not a second-round NFL quarterback, let alone a potential week-one starter,” Browne said, recalling his early thoughts. “So, remember our question: how the heck did Tyler Shough become a second-round draft pick? You’ve just seen what I’ve seen on film, and I didn’t think that I would find my answer. That is until I watched the Miami game.”

And that’s how it ended. All the doubts. All the setbacks. All the waiting. Tyler Shough’s career misery didn’t just fade away—it got torched in 60 flawless minutes against Miami.

Tyler Shough’s next chapter

Tyler Shough didn’t get drafted on a fluke. He earned it—every step of the way. Now? He’s heading into Saints camp with real buzz, battling Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener for the QB1 job. With Derek Carr suddenly retiring, the door is wide open in New Orleans. And Saints GM Mickey Loomis made it clear why Shough was the guy.

“A guy with experience and maturity at that position is a big benefit.” And he’s got both. Shough spent seven years in college football, learning under different systems, playing in big games, and weathering more adversity than most QBs ever face. That’s why ESPN’s Mike Clay projected Shough to finish second among all rookie QBs in both passing yards and touchdowns this season—behind only top pick Carson Beck.

For the Saints, this is a rare moment. They used the 40th overall pick on Shough, making him the third-highest drafted QB in franchise history behind Archie Manning and Bo Burris. That’s no small vote of confidence.

And the competition? It’s not unbeatable.

Jake Haener, 26, had just one start for the Saints last season. Spencer Rattler, 24, went 0-6 in 2024, keeping the Saints dead last in rookie QB wins since 1950. The last rookie to win a game for New Orleans was Dave Wilson in 1981. That’s over four decades without a Week 1 rookie starter. But that could change this year.

“New Orleans, you’re going to get everything I’ve got,” Shough told reporters after minicamp. “I’ll lay it all on the line for y’all every single play.” That kind of hunger? That’s the kind of mindset Saints fans can get behind.

And even though there’s always a chance the team brings in a veteran later, HC Kellen Moore hasn’t hinted at it yet. Right now, the QB room belongs to the young guns. But if Max Browne’s film breakdown is anything to go by—and if that Miami game is the real blueprint—then Tyler Shough may just be more than the guy who finally silenced the critics. He might be the guy who finally brings stability back to the Saints’ quarterback room.