Last year, the New Orleans Saints QB Spencer Rattler lost all 6 games he started. HC Kellen Moore came in early 2025 and changed everything as per his plan. But after 8 weeks, Rattler has a 1-7 record. The Week 8 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was a humiliating 3-23 loss.

It forced Moore to bench Rattler during the game and start the rookie QB Tyler Shough. The starter explained what actually went down. “We came out of the half, didn’t have a great drive, kept getting backed up. Just really couldn’t catch a rhythm. And he said, Hey, we’re going to go with Tyler, get a little spark, see what’s going to happen,” he said.

Head coach Kellen Moore benched Spencer Rattler after two costly turnovers. Before being pulled, Rattler went 15-of-21 for 136 yards, one interception, and a fumble. His replacement, Tyler Shough, completed 17 of 30 passes for 128 yards and one interception while adding 12 yards on three carries.

However, the decision doesn’t stop Rattler from giving his 100%. In fact, it strengthened his resolve to work harder. “I understand you can’t control everything…I’ve been through adversity before. I’m going to be a good teammate, have good body language, still be a leader,” he added.

However, things have become tough for the starter. Overall, in the first 7 games of the 2025 season, he has completed 159 of 235 passes (67.7% completion rate) for 1,450 passing yards, 8 TDs, and 4 interceptions. He has also logged 28 carries for 155 rushing yards. The team has struggled and remains at the bottom of the NFC South division.

The uncertainty over their starting QB has added pressure on Kellen Moore.

Spencer Rattler’s position might be in danger

After the game, Kellen Moore explained his stance on benching. “We just needed to create something on offense,” he said. “It’s not just about Spencer; the whole offense isn’t playing up to standard. We have to move the ball, protect it, and score points. This was a full offensive evaluation,” he said.

Moore said they have not decided the starting QB for the week 9 game against the LA Rams. “We’ll look at everything over the next 48 hours and figure out what gives us the best chance to win,” he said. “Tyler went in, looked the part, made some plays. His interception was unfortunate, but he gave us a spark. We’ll make that call soon.”

While Moore is still undecided, the fans and management might call for him to try a few games with Tyler Shough. The Saints drafted Shough in 2nd round (40 overall) in the 2025 NFL Draft. The 26-year-old played college football at Oregon, Texas Tech, and Louisville, finishing with a 21-11 record as a starter. Last season, he completed 62.7% of his passes for 3,195 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions.

Moore has two more options if he wants to replace Spencer Rattler. Hunter Dekkers played college football for Iowa State from 2020 to 2022. He transferred to Iowa Western Community College for the 2024 season, where he completed 64.1% of his passes for 3,806 yards, 32 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, leading his team to an 11–2 record.

The Saints invited him to the rookie minicamp and later signed him as an undrafted free agent, but he has been moving on and off the team’s practice squad since the summer of 2025. Dekkers is known for his strong arm, accuracy on short throws, and competitive nature.

The other option is Jake Haener. Over his college career at Fresno State, he threw for 9,120 yards, 68 touchdowns, and 18 interceptions across 33 games. The Saints drafted him in the fourth round (127th overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft. However, his rookie season started with a setback. Haener was suspended for six games for a failed drug test.

He later said he didn’t know how the banned substance entered his system but accepted responsibility. The franchise waived and re-signed him multiple times in 2025 while shuffling quarterbacks.

Will Spencer Rattler save his place or get replaced? Stay tuned to find out!