Spencer Rattler is the starting quarterback for the New Orleans Saints. The second-year pro out of South Carolina was named starter by head coach Kellen Moore on Tuesday.
Rattler started six games in his rookie season after Derek Carr went down with injuries, and was competing with 2025 second-round pick Tyler Shough for the starting gig throughout the summer.
“[I’m] very excited,” Rattler said Tuesday. “I’m very grateful for the opportunity. [I] worked my tail off to achieve this, and now it’s here, and just ready to work with the guys and get this season going. I feel like we’re headed in the right direction and everybody’s excited right now.”
Moore said he announced his decision to the team after walkthrough practice on Tuesday; he called the quarterbacks—Shough and Rattler—to his office and told them individually.
The 2025 fifth-round pick, whose college career was marked by adversity, had a humble attitude about the final decision.
“Whatever the decision was, I was going to be content with it, but obviously wanted to be the starter,” he said. “You come in here, compete every day, try to get better every day to get that role and be the leader of this team. So I’m happy we got it, but we still got a lot of work to do.”
Rattler said the key to winning the job was protecting the ball throughout training camp and the preseason. He credited himself for making “great decisions” with the ball during training camp and the preseason, and said that is the most important thing for a quarterback to do. The other thing he did was take what defenses gave him to move the ball down the field.
Rattler and Shough were statistically very close throughout the preseason. Rattler’s final stat line was 30 of 48 passing for 295 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. Shough went 36 of 54 for 333 yards, a TD, and a pick. Rattler’s quarterback rating of 86.9 was slightly higher than Shough’s rating of 81.8, suggesting Rattler did more with fewer passing attempts. Rattler also started the first and final preseason games, getting more opportunities with the first offense.
Rattler was drafted by the Saints with the 150th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He was the seventh quarterback taken, but the other six were all taken in the first round; the 137-pick gap between Bo Nix at 12th overall and Rattler was the largest in the common draft era.
Rattler took over for Derek Carr for three games midway through the season after Carr suffered an injury. When Carr went down again for the season in Week 14, Rattler finished the season. He totaled six starts, going 0-6; he completed 130 of 228 passes for 1,317 yards, four touchdowns, and five interceptions; he added 18 rushes for 146 yards, and was sacked 22 times.
Rattler is no stranger to being the backup. He was the heir apparent to Jalen Hurts at Oklahoma and started the entire 2020 season. But he lost the starting job to Caleb Williams in 2021 and transferred to South Carolina. He started two years for the Gamecocks before declaring for the Draft.
Rattler said he benefited from a full year running with the first offense.
“I think last year was definitely different, obviously,” he said. “Starting the year off as the emergency three, and then being in and out, in and out, in and out. [There] wasn’t a lot of consistency last year, obviously a lot of moving parts last year, but it feels good to just get a full camp under your belt this year,” he said.
“Getting a lot of work with the ones, and then preseason as well. So [I] feel a little more comfortable, a little more confident coming into this year, earning that role, and excited to get out there with the guys.”
The young signal-caller said he is approaching the season with a clear mind, but is excited to lead his team on the field every week.
“One thing I can promise is putting my all on that field, and I know everybody else will,” he said. “Good to gain that confidence from your coach to make that decision.”
Rattler and the Saints will open the season against the Arizona Cardinals on Sept. 7.
