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USA Today
19-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Saints rookie Tyler Shough working with Kellen Moore's former Cowboys QB Cooper Rush
With training camp set to begin in a couple of days, New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback Tyler Shough is learning all he can about his new head coach as he has been working out with former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush, per Nick Underhill. The two share a private trainer in former Nicholls State quarterback Landry Klann. Rush, currently with the Baltimore Ravens, spent five years working under Moore. There are few active quarterbacks with as much knowledge about the new Saints head coach as Rush does. He's been there and won games with Moore calling plays. There's a lot Shough could learn from him. The first standout year of Rush's career came in 2022, which was Moore's final year with the Cowboys. He made five starts, nine total appearances, and completed 58% of his passes for 1,051 yards with five touchdowns to three interceptions. Those aren't worldbeating numbers, but the fact that Moore was able to do that and go 4-1 with a fifth-year quarterback that entered the season with 50 pass attempts is impressive. It did also help to have CeeDee Lamb, Trevon Diggs and Micah Parsons on the team as well, of course. There are some minutia, mannerisms and more that Shough will be able to pick up on with Rush that only someone that spent so much time with Moore will be able to convey. Since being signed, Shough has been impressive with his maturity and just how ready he seems to tackle the job of starting quarterback in New Orleans. This is just another notch in that belt. Of course, he will have to win the job over sophomore passer Spencer Rattler. Shough is indeed the favorite at this point, though. He is the passer that Moore wanted, is getting the guaranteed money and will simply have a longer leash than Rattler this year.
USA Today
09-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Saints won't be getting new jerseys after all, but these alternate helmets are a hit
New uniforms are coming as soon as 2026 Let's start with the good news -- the New Orleans Saints released a first look at their very clean white helmets for the 2025 season, a breath of fresh air for a team in need of a new look. These white-and-gold helmets are almost a palette swap of the black alternate helmets they rolled out a few years ago, but after going 0-4 in them, change was needed. Now the bad news. Contrary to previous reporting, the Saints are not getting new uniforms to go with them. So fans will have the same jersey options as before. But it's not all bad. These helmets were specifically designed to match the popular "Color Rush" jerseys that have become a mainstay for New Orleans, and they'll be worn together exclusively this season, per Nick Underhill. And now some more good news. New uniforms are coming, eventually, as part of the NFL's new "Rivalries" program with Nike. They'll receive fresh jerseys with the rest of the NFC South as soon as 2026, but the initiative is planned to run through 2028 until all 32 NFL teams have been included. So we'll just have to practice patience. That's a good decision. While the Saints' initial black alternate helmets may have looked a little overbaked, the main problem with them was how they clashed with the teams' "Color Rush" kits. By keeping a similar design philosophy but inverting the colors to match the jerseys, you've got a much better fit. Look good, feel good, play good. Let's hope a small change like this pays off when the season starts on Sept. 7.
USA Today
02-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Spencer Rattler had a good reason for missing Tyler Shough, Brandin Cooks group workout
Tyler Shough, Brandin Cooks organized throwing sessions in Oregon Three of the New Orleans Saints' four quarterbacks joined most of the team's wide receivers at a group workout in Beaverton, Ore. this week -- Nick Underhill reports that Tyler Shough scripted throwing sessions for himself, Jake Haener and Hunter Dekkers. Brandin Cooks organized the whole event with made sure guys like Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed were in attendance. But Spencer Rattler had a good reason for missing out. He had already committed to hosting a youth football camp back in South Carolina and clearly didn't want to leave the campers out to dry. Unlike, say, ex-Pittsburgh Steelers wideout George Pickens, who backed out of a similar commitment of his own after being traded to the Dallas Cowboys. Underhill added that Cooks already worked out with Rattler in Arizona (where Rattler is from) earlier this offseason, and that they're planning to do so again with more of the receivers before camp. Previously, Shough told reporters that he and Cooks were planning workouts in both Oregon and Texas before the Saints regroup for training camp in a few weeks: "We're getting a good group together. It's Brandin Cooks kind of leading that charge. He's such a great influence, just on the whole team, offensively-wise." We'll see if Rattler and the other quarterbacks participate next time in Dallas, but it's reassuring to know he had a valid excuse. Skipping a workout with your teammates because of some beef over a starting job is one thing. A scheduling conflict that puts you on the other side of the country is something else. Keeping your word to a bunch of young athletes and their families is worth taking a rain check to put in some work another day.
USA Today
22-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Former Saints first-round pick Trevor Penning is finally trying out at guard
Former Saints first-round pick Trevor Penning is finally trying out at guard Now that's interesting. The New Orleans Saints shared another video of quick cuts from organized team activities on Thursday, and Nick Underhill made a sharp-eyed observation. At one point the Saints were lining up Taliese Fuaga at right tackle with rookie draft pick Kelvin Banks Jr. at left tackle, and Trevor Penning at left guard. Fuaga and Banks were playing their college positions and Penning had moved inside. It's tough to pinpoint where that is in the clip, which is full of rapid cuts, but during resistance band work the Saints had Fuaga at right tackle with Cesar Ruiz at right guard and Will Clapp at center, with Penning positioned but not participating to Clapp's left, but Banks wasn't shown. Second-year tackle Josiah Ezirim was next up in the group of observing linemen, which included Penning and Landon Young. On paper, that would be the smartest way to get all three players on the field at positions they are best suited to. But it's something the Saints had been vocally resistant to. Both head coach Kellen Moore and his predecessor Dennis Allen had said they viewed Penning as a tackle, pointing to his improvement after moving to the right side. However, actions speak louder than words. For at least a little while Penning kicked inside at practice on Wednesday. We'll see if it lasts. Guys move around often this time of the year to find where they can be most effective. Maybe that means Penning stays inside at guard where his physicality is more of an asset and his slow feet aren't as great a liability. That approach worked out for Andrus Peat, another former first-round pick who the Saints moved from left tackle to the right side before he settled in at left guard. Or maybe the Saints' concerns are validated and they prefer to have Penning playing right tackle. Banks was projected as a guard by some draft analysts and he could be the better fit at that spot of the two. If the rookie does end up starting inside before moving out to tackle later in his career (assuming Penning leaves in free agency next year), he'd be following the same path that guys like Laremy Tunsil took to reach five Pro Bowls. OTAs and minicamp are about answering those questions. Practice time and what teams can do is heavily restricted here in May and June, and players won't even wear shoulder pads until training camp begins in late July. It's good that Penning is receptive to moving around to try and salvage his career, and that the Saints aren't as stubborn about keeping him at tackle as they have indicated when asked. We'll be watching to see if this new strategy works out for all involved.
USA Today
06-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
WATCH: Drew Brees shares passionate speech after former teammate Terron Armstead retires
WATCH: Drew Brees shares passionate speech after former teammate Terron Armstead retires Shout out to Terron Armstead. The five-time Pro Bowl left tackle called it a career and announced his retirement on Saturday, surrounded by his New Orleans Saints and Miami Dolphins teammates. And one of the first people to be handed a microphone to share their comments on the occasion was his legendary quarterback Drew Brees. Brees addressed the crowd and reflected on Armstead's impact on the teams they led together for several minutes. Part of his speech congratulating Armstead on a 12-year career was shared on social media by Nick Underhill. "Twelve amazing years in the NFL. The mainstay wherever he went," Brees began. "I will never forget the day he showed up in our locker room back in 2013, he didn't start off that year as the starter, but it became evident very clearly that this guy was not only going to be a starting left tackle for us for a very long time, but he was going to be a leader in our locker room, he was going to be a leader in the huddle, and he was going to be a leader throughout the league. He's exemplified what it takes to be a champion in this league and in in the locker room and with his teams for a long time." Armstead's teammates elected him as a captain with the Saints every year from 2018 to 2021; when he left to join the Dolphins in 2022, he continued to wear the captain's patch for the final three years of his career. That says a lot about the respect he's earned around the league for two different locker rooms to rally around him. His leadership by example and perseverance to continue playing through multiple career-threatening injuries stood out, and Brees said Armstead's presence helped guys like him be their best. He had a lot to say about how Armstead became a rallying point when the going got tough. "This is how I define (leadership). Leaders make those around them better. They bring out the best qualities, the best traits. They instill confidence. They make you feel that you can do something that maybe you didn't think you could do. Those are the best leaders. They also inspire you every time you wake up. When you walk into that locker room, body's hurting, you're not sure if you're going to be able to make it out to practice, you don't know if you're going to make it to Sunday. But then you think about the guys that have invested so much, that have sacrificed so much, that have laid it on the line day after day? You think to yourself, 'Damn, I am not gonna miss it. I'm going to do whatever I have to do to get out there. Because I want to win, not only do I want to win, I want to win a championship and I want to win it for somebody like that,'" Brees said, pointing to Armstead. "And that's the feeling I got every day to step into the New Orleans Saints locker room." Armstead was a critical piece of the Saints' success from the day he entered the starting lineup to the last snap he logged with New Orleans. He started 93 of the 97 regular season games he appeared in and continued to take point in the postseason, starting all 9 of his Saints playoff games. He continued to lead the way for the Dolphins, starting in 38 regular season games with a pair of playoff appearances. And now his job on Sundays gets easier. He's expected to quickly take up a career in broadcasting or radio commentary and share his knowledge of the game with others. If his first life in football is any indication, he's well-prepared for what comes next.
