Jan. 21, 2026, 11:50 a.m. CT
Tyler Shough has been a busy man. The New Orleans Saints quarterback has sat down for interviews with teammates like Cameron Jordan and former Saints standouts like Terron Armstead, taking time to reflect on his rookie year and working to make more connections in the community. Shough’s latest stop was Tyrann Mathieu’s In the Bayou podcast with cohost Tyrell McCall.
It’s a great conversation, but one of the best moments was the story behind Shough’s Halloween costume tribute to Saints owner Gayle Benson. Linebacker Danny Stutsman shared a photo on Instagram from the team’s rookie Halloween costume contest, dressed as the orange tracksuited villain from the 2010 animated film Despicable Me, with quarterback Hunter Dekkers wearing Will Ferrell’s basketball uniform from the 2008 comedy film Semi-Pro. Shough wore a wig, gold blazer, black dress and pearl necklace with matching earrings to copy Benson’s look. She gave it her stamp of approval.
“I had to find size triple-XL everything. It was actually great, she loved it,” Shough said. “She texted me about it multiple times. It was like her favorite thing. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. It just goes back to, don’t take yourself too seriously, we’re having fun. “
It’s good that Shough was such a great sport about this, but it also goes to show just how strong the support he’s getting from ownership is. A few months later, after Shough had been named the starter and won back-to-back games, Benson told WAFB’s Jacques Doucet at a charity event that “I love the quarterback. He is great. He’s awesome.” There’s a lot to be said for having her in your corner. Hopefully it means she’ll open up the checkbook to get Shough more help in free agency this spring.
