METAIRIE, La. – Spencer Rattler has been named the starting quarterback for the New Orleans Saints, the team announced Tuesday. Rattler will lead the Saints against the Arizona Cardinals on Sept. 7.
The Saints were the final NFL team to determine their starting quarterback for the 2025 season. The decision followed a competition throughout the summer between Rattler and rookie Tyler Shough.
“We’re excited for Spence and tyler is in a great position to continue to develop,” said Saints coach Kellen Moore.
Third-year quarterback Jake Haener also participated in the competition earlier in training camp, but the race narrowed to Rattler and Shough after the first week. haener was waived by the team Tuesday, according to sources.
The quarterback battle extended throughout the preseason, culminating after the Saints’ 28-19 loss to the Denver Broncos on Saturday. Rattler started the game and played three series with the first-team offense, while Shough entered the game with the second unit.
Rattler, selected by the Saints in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft out of south Carolina, will be making the seventh start of his career when the Saints host the Cardinals. He started six games and appeared in seven during the 2024 season while filling in for an injured Derek Carr, posting a 0-6 record in those starts.
Carr was initially expected to return as the Saints’ starter under Moore, but he announced his retirement in May due to a shoulder injury, creating the opening for a new quarterback to lead the team.
