rewrite this title Who Won NFL Rookie of the Year 2026? Meet Tyler Shough

Tyler Shough emerged as one of the NFL’s breakout stars during the 2025 season, ultimately earning Pepsi Zero Sugar NFL Rookie of the Year honors after a standout debut with the New Orleans Saints. Shough threw for 2,384 yards, 10 touchdowns and six interceptions while completing 67.6% of his passes and setting several franchise rookie records, including most passing yards, passing touchdowns and highest completion percentage for a Saints first-year quarterback. His late-season surge included a career-high performance in Week 17 and selection to the PFWA All-Rookie team, solidifying his rapid rise in the league.

Coming in as a rookie, Shough said his goal was simply to contribute to his team’s success. “Whatever I was asked to do, I just wanted to help the team,” he said. “This award is truly a reflection of all [my teammates’ and coaches’] hard work … I can’t wait to see where we go from here!”

From his unconventional college journey to his rapid rise with the New Orleans Saints, here’s what to know about Shough.

He Was Drafted by the Saints in 2025

Shough was selected by the New Orleans Saints with the 40th overall pick in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft after a long and unconventional college career. Shough signed a four-year rookie contract and initially competed for the starting job before being named the team’s starter midway through his rookie campaign.

He Played College Football at Three Schools

Before entering the NFL, he spent seven seasons playing college football across three Power 5 programs — Oregon, Texas Tech and Louisville. Over that span, he appeared in 42 games and completed 599 of 951 passes (63.0%) for 7,820 yards with 59 touchdowns, while also rushing for 733 yards and 11 touchdowns.

His path included working his way into the starting lineup at Oregon, dealing with multiple injuries at Texas Tech, and ultimately having his most productive season at Louisville in 2024, where he threw for more than 3,000 yards and 23 touchdowns before declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft.

He Is Married

Off the field, Shough is married to Jordan Wormdahl Shough, a former soccer player at the Oregon Ducks. The couple first got engaged in May 2022 and tied the knot in April 2024. In November 2025, they announced they are expecting their first child, a baby boy due in February 2026.