Football
With the New Orleans Saints officially entering a new era at quarterback, no one understands the demands of leading the franchise better than Pro Football Hall of Famer Drew Brees.
In an exclusive one-on-one interview with Covers.com, the future Hall of Famer sat down with DJ Siddiqi to discuss the Saints’ outlook under quarterback Tyler Shough, who enters his second season and first as the team’s Week 1 starter. Brees praised the young signal-caller’s maturity, poise and leadership while expressing optimism about the direction of the offense under head coach Kellen Moore.
“I’ve been really impressed with him,” Brees said. “I talked to him around the draft last year, at training camp, during the season and right before he took over.”
Brees said he watched the Saints gradually come together despite facing significant changes on both sides of the football.
“To watch that team come together—in a lot of ways it was a new offense with Kellen Moore, it was a new defense with Brandon Staley—but man, they really hit their stride at the end of the year, and in large part, the quarterback was playing well.”
The Saints legend believes Shough possesses many of the physical and mental traits needed to succeed at the professional level.
“Tyler, he’s a big, strong athlete, mature beyond his years, plays with great poise. Strong arm. He can run the ball well, creates some versatility as an offense.”
With another offseason in Moore’s system, Brees expects Shough to take another step in his development in 2026.
“I think he’s got some natural leadership ability. The guys seem to gravitate to him.”
That said, Brees believes continuity could be one of New Orleans’ biggest advantages entering the season.
“And now in his second year in the offense, you add a weapon like Jordyn Tyson to go along with Chris Olave and some of the other guys that they have—Juwan Johnson, Alvin Kamara’s coming back, and you go out and sign Travis Etienne.”
The collection of offensive playmakers gives New Orleans plenty of reasons for optimism.
“You’ve got some weapons and guys to spread the ball to that are real playmakers,” Brees said. “But it’s all about the guy pulling the trigger making great decisions and putting everybody in positions to succeed.”
For Brees, that’s the next challenge for Shough. The supporting cast appears to be in place. Now it’s about the quarterback making the right reads, distributing the football efficiently and elevating the players around him.
Given Brees’ intimate knowledge of what it takes to succeed in New Orleans, his endorsement carries considerable weight. While expectations surrounding Shough remain measured, one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history sees a player with the physical tools, leadership qualities and offensive support necessary to help lead the Saints into their next chapter.
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