Tyler Shough showed Archie Manning something he'd never seen from an NFL quarterback

USA Today

3 hours ago

Shough working alongside counselors like Arch Manning, Garrett Nussmeier
It takes a lot to surprise Archie Manning, but the legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback saw something from his rookie counterpart that he'd never seen from a pro QB before. Tyler Shough returned to the Manning Passing Academy to work as a counselor again this weekend, having done so previously when he was in college. Many famed NFL quarterbacks have worked the event as counselors (including 25 of this year's 32 projected starters, and Shough's teammate Spencer Rattler). But they don't tend to run it back after turning pro.
"Most Saints players have gone back home now with this month off, he said he's staying right here. He said, 'I want to come work the camp.' I've never had one of our college quarterbacks, when he turns pro, to say he'll come back and want to work the camp," Manning told WWL TV's Doug Mouton.
That's a really cool gesture from Shough. It says a lot about him that he's willing to take time out of his offseason to try and help the next generation of quarterbacks, even if he may be counseling alongside some of his future coworkers. College quarterbacks like Arch Manning (Texas), Garrett Nussmeier (LSU), and LaNoris Sellers (South Carolina) have all been popular picks for the Saints in too-soon 2026 mock drafts, and they were all at the event working as counselors, too. Dozens more help run the four-day clinic in Thibodeaux, La., working with more than 1,400 high school quarterbacks.
"It's an hour away, why wouldn't I come back? Help out, and be around everybody. Talk to some of the college guys about my experience with the whole draft," Shough said to Mouton, "I want to help out as much people as I can, because with my own college experience and what I wish I knew, and how I can to continue to get better and learn from those guys. I want to continue to grow that for sure."
Good on him. Shough is making all of the right moves to show Saints fans who they're rooting for (or at least convincing them to root for) by throwing his support behind popular events like the Manning Passing Academy and opening up in interviews. He's obviously learned a lot from his tough college experience, having dealt with multiple injuries and transfers between schools, and that he's willing to share those lessons with others speaks to the strength of his character. But all the positive PR in June doesn't matter if he can't perform once training camp starts in July. Shough has done everything right so far. Let's see if he can keep it up once the Saints QB competition really kicks off next month.