The New Orleans Saints made a big change in Week 8.
Near the end of the third quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Saints benched second-year quarterback Spencer Rattler in favor of rookie Tyler Shough.
Shough, 26, had played in just one game prior to Oct. 26’s divisional clash. The Saints’ second-round pick in this year’s draft was 0-of-2 on pass attempts in his three-snap outing against the Seattle Seahawks five weeks prior.
Rattler, who won New Orleans’ Week 1 starting job in training camp, secured his first career win as a starter in Week 5 against the New York Giants but has been winless otherwise – 1-12 overall. Before the Saints benched him, he began the Oct. 26 game against the Buccaneers 15-of-21 for 136 yards and one interception, which was returned for a touchdown.
The Saints trailed, 17-3, when they made the change.
Shough completed two of his first three pass attempts on his first drive under center on Oct. 26. His fourth pass attempt hit receiver Chris Olave in the hands, but Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield stripped the ball away for an interception.
As of the time of writing, it is unclear whether Shough will be taking over as the Saints’ primary starter going forward. Head coach Kellen Moore is likely to provide an update on that decision after the conclusion of the Week 8 game.
Saints QB depth chart
Here’s an updated look at the Saints’ quarterbacks room after Shough entered the Oct. 26 game vs. Tampa Bay:
Tyler Shough
Spencer Rattler
Jake Haener
Shough was the No. 40 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, making him the third quarterback the Saints have drafted in the last three years. The 26-year-old rookie had collegiate stints at Oregon and Texas Tech before playing for Louisville last season, throwing for a career-high 3,195 yards and 23 touchdowns.
Rattler was a fifth-round pick by the Saints in 2024 and has started every game this season. He won New Orleans’ quarterback competition in training camp and earned his first career win in Week 5. Entering Week 8’s game, Rattler had a career 62.4% completion rate, 2,767 yards, 12 touchdown passes and nine interceptions in 14 games (13 starts).
Haener, once the 2023 Senior Bowl MVP, joined the Saints as a fourth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He played eight games (1 start) in 2024. He had a 0-1 record with a 46.2% completion rate, 226 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Haener has exclusively served as New Orleans’ emergency third quarterback this season.