The New Orleans Saints were quick to give Tyler Shough, their second-round pick from the 2025 NFL Draft, their vote of confidence as the team’s starting quarterback heading into the 2026 season.
Shough, who sat as a backup to start the 2025 season, gets an entire offseason and training camp to prepare for the starting role compared to a full quarterback battle this time last year.
Digital spoke to Shough during Super Bowl week in February, when he expressed his excitement about having more time to develop and learn head coach Kellen Moore’s offense. He also mentioned an “incredible mentor” that has helped him since he was drafted by New Orleans.
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Tyler Shough of the New Orleans Saints throws an interception during the first quarter against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Jan. 4, 2026, in Atlanta, Ga. (Getty Images)
Drew Brees, the Saints’ legendary quarterback who was just inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, gave words of advice to Shough, and loved what he saw from him when Moore turned the offensive keys over to him last season.
“I think Shough is in an unbelievable situation,” Brees told Digital in a recent interview. “He showed a ton of leadership traits this offseason. Gathering the guys together, structuring offseason workouts, getting them ready for camp.”
Shough was 25 years old when he came out of Louisville last year, playing for three different programs across seven years. While some viewed this as a crutch for Shough to break into the NFL, Brees viewed it differently.
DREW BREES CALLS HURRICANE KATRINA ‘DEFINING MOMENT’ OF CAREER, CREDITS FAITH AND COMMUNITY FOR PERSEVERANCE
“First off, Tyler Shough is a guy mature beyond his years,” Brees explained. “I think he spent seven years in college — three at [Texas] Tech, three at Oregon and one at Louisville. He battled through his own fair share of injuries and adversity. Just having to overcome. So again, I think you learn a lot, develop a lot of gratitude. I think he was at a point in his career where he didn’t think the NFL was going to be an option. I think going to Louisville and being with Jeff Brohm, who I know really well — former coach at Purdue and former NFL quarterback. Really helped develop him and get him to the next level of, ‘Man, you can do this. You can play at a very high level.’”
The Saints also went with Spencer Rattler as their starting quarterback to begin the 2025 season, but by Week 9, Moore turned the job over to Shough. He finished 5-4 in those starts, including a four-game win streak that had New Orleans feeling great about the future.
Brees believes that time sitting and observing helped Shough.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) throws a pass against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half of an NFL football game in New Orleans on Oct. 26, 2025. (Gerald Herbert/AP Photo)
“I think him coming in last year, sitting for half the season, you observe so much when you do that. When you step in, it’s like, ‘You’ve earned this. It’s my time. Here we go,’” Brees said. “He just got incrementally better every week. He’s super talented. He’s big, strong, can throw the ball. Very good athlete, so you can do a lot in the run game with him. He has a lot of Josh Allen qualities in that way — running with the size and athleticism.”
And the Saints clearly saw everything they needed to start loading up on offense.
“Man, they’ve built some pieces around him. They sign Chris Olave to a long-term deal. They draft Jordyn Tyson. Unfortunately, I know he’s got the hamstring now for two months. Nonetheless, he’s got these playmakers around him,” Brees said. “They sign [Travis] Etienne [Jr.], you got Alvin Kamara, you got Juwan Johnson. You got a really good O-line. You drafted right tackle, left tackle in the first round the two years previous. And Kellen Moore, right? A very talented play-caller and developer of quarterbacks.
“For all those reasons, I think he’s poised to continue to go in this upwards trajectory.”
SPORTS ALL IN ONE PLACE
Outside of football, Brees is also a businessman, being a co-owner and partner in Walk-on’s Sports Bistreaux, one of the fastest-growing sports bar franchise concepts in the country. It began in Louisiana, has grown to 80-plus units, and it continues to pave its way through the country.
As a sports bar concept, there’s nothing that matters more than having any game, any time, for customers walking into the establishment.
Football is king in the Southeast, as well as throughout the rest of the country, and DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS makes it easy for those like Brees to bring together live TV and streaming networks all in one place. More than 300,000 bars and restaurants have access to local, national, college and pro games for fans to watch through DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS, which includes NFL Sunday Ticket.
New Orleans Saints retired quarterback Drew Brees (9) reacts during his hall of fame ceremony at halftime against the Denver Broncos at Caesars Superdome on Oct. 17, 2024. (Matthew Hinton/Imagn Images)
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“We pride ourselves on Louisiana-inspired cuisine. It’s unbelievable food,” Brees said of Walk-on’s Sports Bistreaux. “My kids crave it all the time. But like a really family-friendly atmosphere, you know, whether it’s date night, bring the family, bring the little league after the game — something for everybody. Obviously, it’s sports, and high energy, and excitement on the TV all the time.
“Thanks to our partnership with DirecTV for Business, that’s what allows us to basically have access to every college and pro game around the country. And that’s not just football. We’re talking basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer. So big events like March Madness and the Kentucky Derby, Masters — you name it. So, we’re really appreciative of that DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS partnership. It allows us to help create that energy and excitement around our establishments.
“And for the fans themselves, sportsbarfinder.com allows them to find those sports from DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS at their local spot anywhere in the country, which Brees loved to see.
“There’s a saying: fans have more friends. You know, they really do. You step into your local sports bar wearing the local jersey. Man, all of a sudden, next thing you know, you’re high-fiving everybody, and you just made 100 more friends. That’s the kind of atmosphere and that’s what sports does, it brings people together,” he said.
