Tyler Shough‘s name getting called in the 2025 NFL Draft wasn’t just about another QB making it. It felt like the end of a chapter. At 25, he’s not just older than most of this year’s rookies. He’s probably the last guy drafted who was born in the ’90s. Crazy, right? While most of the prospects were still babies when Y2K panic was a thing, Shough’s path was long and wild. He bounced from Oregon to Texas Tech and finally landed at Louisville, grinding through seven college seasons, battling one injury after another.

Broken collarbone, shoulder problems, even a busted leg, he kept coming back. And while others picked up highlights, he picked up four degrees. Just to put it in perspective, he was in the same high school recruiting class as Trevor Lawrence, who’s already got four NFL seasons under his belt. So yeah, Tyler Shough’s journey took longer, but it’s a story of resilience, and now, it’s officially time for his next chapter with the New Orleans Saints. Because the front face of Kellen Moore’s team, Derek Carr, is out of the league. Out of the game, in fact.

After Carr’s sudden retirement, all eyes are now on Tyler Shough and whether he can rise to the challenge and lead the team to wins. The 25-year-old’s journey hasn’t been easy. He’s battled through multiple injuries and was once seen as an undrafted free agent. But in 2024, he turned it all around, earning the College Sports Communicators’ Comeback Player of the Year after throwing for 3,915 yards and 23 touchdowns with a 62.7% completion rate. Still, concerns linger. Yet Louisville head coach Jeff Brohm, speaking to ESPN, made it clear he’s not worried about Tyler’s past injuries, and neither should anyone else.

He said, “We’re proud of Tyler. I think he came in and did a great job. A young man who wasn’t highly recruited when we got him out of the transfer portal and had some injuries in the past. But as we researched and looked at it, you know, some of these injuries just happened and they weren’t anything that severe that’s going to affect the rest of your career. And, you know, he was asked to run the ball a lot.”

Yeah! As per Brohm, at Texas Tech, they used him like a running back sometimes, and that’s how he got banged up. Coach straight up said, “He got hurt doing it. And to me, you’re going to get hurt doing it. So that’s why we try to have our running backs run the ball and not our quarterback. And our quarterback throws it and scrambles only when he has to. And he stayed healthy, did a great job. He performed well. He’s a big, tall guy, that’s smart. He works hard. He’s a good leader. He’s an accurate passer.”

Hence, the coach thinks New Orleans is a solid fit, too, especially with all the questions around Derek Carr’s future. He said, “I think he’ll do a great job…..So I think he’s got to get ready to start and get ready to play.” So now, it’s time for Tyler Shough to get ready, because his chance might come sooner than anyone thinks, as Derek Carr left the Saints in a puzzled situation.

Kellen Moore has another issue on the table besides Tyler Shough decision

The Saints didn’t just lose Derek Carr, they lost the heartbeat of their offense. Now they’re staring at an empty quarterback room and a season full of questions. Of course, Tyler Shough is there, including Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener, to step up. But will they get a chance from Kellen Moore?

Out of all the wild possibilities, one’s starting to catch fire is: What if the answer is Kirk Cousins… from the Falcons? Sounds crazy, right? Atlanta signed him to a massive deal last year, then surprised everyone by drafting Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8. Now, they’ve got a $180 million backup, and New Orleans has a massive hole to fill.

No one thought Cousins would be traded, especially not within the NFC South. But Derek Carr’s unexpected retirement changes everything. When teams get desperate and options are thin, those uncomfortable phone calls happen. And if both sides are stuck, maybe the wildest idea isn’t so wild after all. Who knows, maybe before starting his NFL career Tyler Shough gets another chance to learn behind a veteran?