In the NFL, how long a player has been in the league doesn’t always match their actual age or experience. For example, Amon-Ra St. Brown is about to start his fifth season and is already a star, but Tyler Shough, who’s just starting as a rookie, is actually a month older than him.
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This unexpected age gap led to an amusing moment on an episode of the St. Brown Podcast.
“For those of you guys that don’t know, we’re in the same class of high school,” St. Brown said, before asking, “I’m going into my fifth year in the league, and he’s a rookie. So what, you’re 25, right? When’s your birthday?” “September,” Shough replied.
“My birthday’s in October… So he’s a month older than me as a rookie… which is crazy,” St. Brown added with a laugh. “I feel like mentally, you’re mature. You’re ready.”
And that maturity, earned through years of adversity, transfers, injuries, and patience, is exactly what Tyler Shough hopes young players can learn from. He wants them to stay competitive without getting discouraged by others’ success.
“The biggest thing… is just don’t compare yourself to others,” the Saints quarterback told St. Brown. “Do it from a competitive standpoint, but don’t let it shut you down.”
This journey of patience and self-assurance had its dark days. Especially when his peers like Trevor Lawrence won national titles and got drafted early, Shough often thought: “Man, I’m better than this dude… But you kind of have to go through your own circumstance and opportunity to grow as a person and a player,” he said.
“If I had a three- or four-year career, who knows? I may be entitled or out of the league at this point.”
Instead, Shough’s path took him through Oregon, Texas Tech, and Louisville, seven long college seasons that tested his patience and resilience.
A pair of collarbone injuries and a broken fibula even derailed his momentum, but never his commitment. “I feel like I’ve gotten to grow and learn before the league,” he said. “So now I can kind of come into it with a better mindset.”
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Unsurprisingly, this never-say-die attitude is what caught the attention of the Saints, who used their highest quarterback pick in over 50 years to take Shough at No. 40 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. While some franchises may have viewed his age or medical history as red flags, New Orleans saw value in his experience and perspective.
“I think it’s a benefit when a guy’s had a lot of experience and has a little maturity to him at that position,” said Saints GM Mickey Loomis about the rookie QB.
And head coach Kellen Moore echoed a similar sentiment: “He was ready. He was prepared… He’s been through a lot—in a good way.”
We all know it’s a league obsessed with age, windows, and immediate results. Tyler Shough is the outlier who reminds everyone that growth isn’t linear, and greatness doesn’t always follow the same clock. If it did, Tom Brady would have been his dominant self back in college!
