Louisville football fans have followed former Cardinal Tyler Shough throughout his rookie season, and on Thursday morning, the Cardinals nation saw that Shough is one step closer to earning a prestigious award.
The former Cardinal was selected No. 40 overall by the New Orleans Saints, which, at the time, many spoke out against. Many NFL fans thought the Saints should have selected Colorado star Shedeur Sanders, but Kellen Moore and his Saints chose the former Cardinal instead.
While Shough has done enough to prove everyone wrong who doubted him, he is now one step closer to putting the icing on the cake after he was named a finalist for the Associated Press NFL Rookie of the Year.
Former Louisville football star just got a huge national nod
Shough is one of five finalists named for this award, as he will be going up against Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson, New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart, and his biggest opponent, Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan.
The Panthers' wide receiver is the dominant favorite to win the award with -20000 odds, followed by Dart with +1600 odds. Shough comes in with the third-highest odds at +4500.
Finalist for AP Offensive Rookie of the Year:@TylerShough2 👏#Saints | @LouisvilleFB pic.twitter.com/i0lrmoLZBh
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) January 22, 2026
The Saints started the season with Spencer Rattler at QB1 after him, and Shough battled all offseason for the starting role. However, after a 1-7 start, Shough was handed the keys to the team and has started every game since. The former Cardinal led New Orleans to a 5-4 record in its final nine games and posted an impressive four-game winning streak after beating the Bucs, Panthers, Jets, and Titans.
Shough had an impressive rookie campaign as he threw 2,384 passing yards and 10 touchdowns while completing 67.6 percent of his passes. He also showcased his ability to run, running 45 times for 186 yards and three touchdowns, with two against the Buccaneers.
Shough has already made the PFWA All-Rookie Team, and after his impressive rookie season, many NFL experts are labeling him as the Saints' QB1 moving forward and their franchise quarterback. Whether Shough wins the award or not, the season was one to remember for both Saints and Louisville fans, as Kellen Moore and the Saints appear to have found their star quarterback.