New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough is playing with two broken bones in his left hand, the non-throwing hand, according to ESPN. Shough suffered the injury on Oct. 5 during the Saints’ 45-24 loss to the Atlanta Falcons and has not missed a snap since, nor is he expected to.
The Saints have not publicly confirmed the diagnosis. ESPN reported the injury is expected to take weeks to heal, with one source putting the recovery timeline at roughly two months.
What The Team And Sources Have Said
New Orleans has offered no official word on the specifics of the Tyler Shough broken hand injury, leaving ESPN’s sourcing as the only confirmation of the diagnosis. What is visible on the field backs up the report. Shough has taped his ring and pinky fingers together on the injured hand and wore a protective glove over heavy bandaging during last week’s game against the Minnesota Vikings, a measure he is expected to keep using.
He has also adjusted his mechanics around the injury, handing the ball off with his right hand, his throwing hand, during the Vikings game rather than using the injured left hand as he normally would.
Shough has made clear he intends to keep playing through it. According to Bleacher Report, he remains determined to stay on the field regardless of the injury.
Backup Options If Shough Can’t Go
Spencer Rattler is Shough’s backup on the New Orleans depth chart. Rattler is 1-13 as a starter since entering the league in the 2024 NFL draft. No move to Rattler has been announced, and Shough remains the starter.
Shough’s Performance This Season
Before the hand injury, Shough had been one of the league’s busiest passers. He has completed 66.8% of his throws this season for 1,299 yards, nine touchdowns and five interceptions, and his 205 pass attempts rank second in the NFL through five games. He has been sacked 13 times.
His final outing before the injury was his best of the year, a 255-yard, four-touchdown, one-interception performance against the Las Vegas Raiders. Since getting hurt against the Falcons, his production has dropped off, including a 96-yard, zero-touchdown, two-interception showing in a 23-13 loss to the Vikings.
The Saints are 1-4, a start owner Gayle Benson called “not acceptable” while singling out coach Kellen Moore and general manager Mickey Loomis. Shough said he shares Benson’s frustration but thinks the Saints “are going to have a really good chance to go on a run here.”
What’s Next
New Orleans plays the Pittsburgh Steelers next week in Paris before heading into its Week 8 bye. The bye gives Shough additional time to let the hand heal.
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