Spencer Rattler named Saints’ beginning QB for season opener

METAIRIE, La. — The New Orleans Saints will begin quarterback Spencer Rattler in opposition to the Arizona Cardinals on Sept. 7, the crew introduced Tuesday.

The Saints had been the final crew to call a beginning quarterback for the 2025 season. Their choice got here after a prolonged battle between Rattler and rookie Tyler Shough.

“We’re excited for Spence and Tyler is in an important place to proceed to develop,” Saints coach Kellen Moore.

Third-year quarterback Jake Haener additionally factored into the competitors early in the summertime, however it gave the impression to be a two-man race every week into coaching camp. Haener was waived Tuesday, sources informed ESPN.

The quarterback competitors ran all summer season and gave the impression to be finalized solely after the Saints’ preseason finale Saturday in opposition to the Denver Broncos. Rattler began the 28-19 loss and performed three sequence with the first-team unit earlier than Shough got here in with the backups.

Rattler, a 2024 fifth-round select of South Carolina, can be beginning his seventh profession recreation when the Saints host the Cardinals subsequent month. He began six video games and performed in seven video games in 2024 when filling in for an injured Derek Carr and went 0-6 in these begins.

Whereas Carr appeared poised to return because the Saints starter this 12 months beneath new Saints coach Kellen Moore, he retired in Could attributable to a shoulder harm.