Before Tyler Shough ever signed an NFL contract, he was grinding in silence, literally pedaling in the rain through 6 a.m. workouts in Eugene, Oregon. “We didn’t have NIL,” he said. “I was biking in the rain at 6 a.m., killin’ myself. I was like, ‘Oh my God.’” That memory is seared into Shough’s journey, not as a complaint, but as a badge of honor. A time when he wasn’t getting paid, but was building grit and relationships, waiting for the moment he could finally capitalize on the back end. Years later, that moment came.

So, when he was asked about what’s the first thing on his list with his NFL signing bonus on the June 25 episode of the St. Brown podcast, he didn’t name a Ferrari or diamond chain, he replied, “Definitely a house. Back in New Orleans,” he said without hesitation. Financial security. A place to finally call home after years of bouncing between Oregon, Texas Tech, and Louisville. For a quarterback who’s played for three programs across seven years, owning property isn’t just financial literacy, it’s peace.

The rookie hasn’t signed a deal with the Saints yet. He wants a fully guaranteed contract, but the franchise isn’t ready. So, there’s that angle too. But before NIL deals were common, Shough navigated college football’s old economy. He jokes now that when he finally got a $5,000 check, he thought, “I’m rich!” He wasn’t kidding. “That’s how it was for me too,” the host chimed in.

“We were in college at the wrong time, bro,” Shough added, acknowledging the sudden shift in athlete compensation. Today, college players get revenue-sharing deals and school-sponsored payouts. Back then, guys like Shough were doing NFL-level prep with zero income. The landscape changed, but only after he pushed through it.

Even at Louisville, where NIL had gained some momentum, Shough admitted, “It was still a lot. But comparatively, it’s even more now.” That underscores just how dramatically the economics of college football have shifted. Players in 2025 are entering a completely new earning reality, but for Shough, the road was long and lean. His story is a financial underdog. No trust fund. No high school NIL deal. Just a belief that grind eventually pays.

And now? It’s paying. With nearly 7,000 collegiate passing yards and his name on an NFL contract, Tyler Shough is finally getting to breathe. Not just as a quarterback, but as a man who outlasted the system and came out the other side with perspective, humility, and a plan. And the house in New Orleans is just the start.

Tyler Shough is NFL-ready

At 26 years old, he’s older than most rookies, a former Justin Herbert backup, a survivor of broken bones, benchings, boos, and bold comebacks. Now, Shough is the front-runner to replace Derek Carr as the New Orleans Saints’ starting QB, a job left open after Carr’s unexpected retirement on May 10.

If Shough starts Week 1, he’ll become the first rookie quarterback to start a season opener for the Saints since Archie Manning in 1971. And the path here has been anything but straight. Drafted 40th overall, he’s out to beat Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener, two players younger in age and less battle-tested in life.

“Throw some sh-t at me. You’re not going to faze me if we start off 0-2 or I f—— suck,” Shough told the St. Brown Brothers Podcast. It wasn’t cocky, it was cathartic. Shough has already worn every jersey a quarterback can, backup, starter, injured, MVP, forgotten. “I’ve been carted off the field, booed, and been an MVP. I’ve been a starter, I’ve been a backup to Herbert.”

Now, in a QB room of raw talent and tight timelines, Shough’s edge isn’t just his arm, it’s his resilience. The Saints know he’s not walking into this battle wide-eyed. If he ends up as QB1 in Week 1, it won’t be a feel-good story. It’ll be a well-earned one.