SAN FRANCISCO — The hardware isn’t going to New York. In a decision that stunned the Super Bowl 60 media center, New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough claimed the Pepsi Zero Sugar NFL Rookie of the Year award Thursday, edging out Giants sensation Jaxson Dart despite Dart’s league-leading touchdown tally.
The announcement dropped in the middle of Super Bowl festivities, sending a ripple through the gathered press at the Moscone Center. While Shough played efficient, surgical football for the Saints, Dart’s electrifying 24-touchdown campaign had many pegging the Giants’ first-rounder as the lock.
The Numbers Game: Efficiency vs. Electricity
Voters favored precision over pyrotechnics. Shough, the former Texas Tech and Louisville gunslinger, finished his rookie year with a clinical 67.6% completion rate (221-of-327) for 2,384 yards and 10 touchdowns. He added three scores on the ground, keeping the Saints’ offense on schedule with a 91.3 passer rating.
Dart, however, stuffed the stat sheet in ways rarely seen from a first-year signal-caller. After the Giants traded up to grab him in Round 1, Dart erupted for 24 total touchdowns—15 through the air and nine on the ground. He threw for 2,272 yards and rushed for another 487, posting a superior 91.7 rating.
The snub hits harder when you look at the history Dart rewrote. He joined Patrick Mahomes as the only quarterback since 1991 to lead an opening-drive touchdown in his first three career starts. He also became the first QB in NFL history to rush for a touchdown in five consecutive games.
Flashback: The Rookie’s Rise
Dart didn’t even see the field until Week 4. Sitting behind Russell Wilson for the first three weeks, Dart took the reins against a red-hot, undefeated Los Angeles Chargers squad. He didn’t blink. The rookie went 13-of-20 for 111 yards and a rushing score, engineering an upset that flipped the Giants’ season.
Two weeks later, he dismantled the defending World Champion Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday Night Football. In front of a raucous primetime audience, Dart threw for 195 yards and ran for 58 more, proving the stage wasn’t too big.
“The voters saw the film. Tyler [Shough] managed the game at a veteran level from Day 1. That completion percentage isn’t an accident; it’s discipline.” — Saints Offensive Coordinator, Press Conference via NFL Network
“Jaxson isn’t worried about fan votes. He put up 24 touchdowns and beat the champs. The tape speaks for itself. We’re focused on Friday night.” — Giants Team Source, via The Athletic
The Real Prize Awaits
This race isn’t over. The Pepsi award relies heavily on fan voting, which can skew results. The more prestigious AP Offensive Rookie of the Year honors will be announced Friday night. Dart remains a finalist there, alongside his teammate, linebacker Abdul Carter, who is gunning for Defensive Rookie of the Year.
If Dart walks away empty-handed Friday, it won’t just be a snub—it will be a robbery.
