It was supposed to be just another rep. One throw, one route, one more entry in a thousand-mile paper trail leading to draft day. But somewhere between the dropback and the release, something misfired. Not in his arm—at least not physically—but in the moment itself. One misplaced ball, caught on camera, and a quarterback’s big break nearly became his biggest blunder. The internet had its laugh. Scouts took their notes. And Tyler Shough? He stayed quiet… until now.
“Thankful Yes, I will have more drip in the game.” That’s what the Saints’ newly signed QB, Shough, posted on Instagram on May 18. The 25-year-old is fired up as he steps into what might be the biggest opportunity of his life—playing under Super Bowl-winning offensive coordinator and now Saints head coach, Kellen Moore. But before the draft, Shough made a momentary mistake that nearly derailed that opportunity.
Remember the NFL Combine? Most of us have probably forgotten the details, but for Tyler Shough, it’s a day he’ll never erase from memory. It was all going well—until an errant, incomplete throw went viral. A routine rep turned into a meme, and fans pounced, especially when Shough was drafted 40th overall—earlier than Shedeur Sanders. That one throw became the internet’s favorite clip, sparking endless speculation about his future in the league. Now, a month later, Shough is finally responding.
The buzz began when former NFL QB Kurt Benkert posted a conversation he had with Shough. Benkert shared the viral clip and wrote, “Got a chance to talk to @tylershough2 about this the other day and he said it was a ‘bet you won’t’ moment gone bad .” He added, “Great sport about it, and he has an incredible sense of humor.”
Got a chance to talk to @tylershough2 about this the other day and he said it was a “bet you won’t” moment gone bad.
Great sport about it and he has an incredible sense of humor. pic.twitter.com/dLozVsuUJ4
— Kurt Benkert (@KurtBenkert) May 18, 2025
After the Combine, Shough appeared on The Rich Eisen Show and explained, “I wanted to go out there and have fun and compete, man. I think that’s what we came there to do.” Despite that spirit, analysts were quick to flag concerns. NFL Draft expert EJ Snyder noted, “Shough can often have some issues with his mechanics, leading to some potentially poor throws.”
But Shough wasn’t drafted by accident. He brings six years of college football experience to the table, and with Derek Carr announcing his retirement, the door is wide open in New Orleans. A starting role may be closer than anyone thought.
Is Aaron Rodgers taking a flight to NOLA?
Following Carr’s unexpected retirement, rumors swirled about a possible Saints bid for Aaron Rodgers. The 41-year-old QB currently has the Steelers on hold—but would he pivot to New Orleans if Kellen Moore picked up the phone? While the theory stirred plenty of debate, New Orleans reporter Jeff Duncan poured cold water on it.
Writing for The Times-Picayune/NOLA.com, he stated: “No surprise here, but Aaron Rodgers never really was a consideration for the Saints in the wake of the Derek Carr retirement.” He continued, “At their current stages, they don’t make sense for him, and he doesn’t make sense for them.” Even Sports Illustrated‘s Patrick McAvoy admitted a veteran QB wouldn’t hurt—but confirmed Rodgers isn’t that fit right now.
All signs point to yes. Shough has the experience, age, and recent form to make a legitimate push for the QB1 job. In the 2024 college football season, he completed 244 of 389 passes for 3,195 yards, with a 62.7% completion rate and a career-best 23 touchdowns. Mechanics aside, the foundation is there.
If Shough can clean up his consistency and build chemistry with Kellen Moore’s offense, there’s a real shot he’ll be more than just a backup option. The viral throw may live on as a meme—but the next chapter might just be a redemption story in the making.
The post Tyler Shough Breaks Silence on NFL Combine Disaster as Kellen Moore Gets Aaron Rodgers Update appeared first on EssentiallySports.