Peyton Manning praises Saints rookie Tyler Shough, head coach Kellen Moore

The 5-time NFL MVP spoke on the new-look Saints from the Manning Passing Academy in Thibodaux.

Fewer names hold greater weight in New Orleans, or indeed in the entire country, than that of the Manning family.

The most decorated quarterback family in NFL history, boasting four Super Bowl championships among a laundry list of accolades, hosts their annual Manning Passing Academy in their home state of Louisiana each summer since being founded by their father, Saints legend Archie Manning, back in 1996.

Five-time league MVP Peyton Manning spoke to the media after Saturday’s session, where he was asked about the New Orleans Saints’ second-round draft pick Tyler Shough and his new head coach, Kellen Moore.

The two-time Super Bowl champion spoke highly of Shough and his commitment to the camp, where he’s working as a counselor at a time of year that could have otherwise been utilized as a rare moment of relaxation amidst the rookie QB’s busy schedule.

“The fact that he’s out here for four days helping these high school kids and college players says a lot about him,” remarked Manning. He’s far from the first to speak on Shough’s character, which has garnered as much, if not more, positive attention as his first on-field impressions during OTAs and minicamp during his short time in New Orleans.

Of rookie head coach Kellen Moore, Manning labelled his hiring a “really good” one, while commending the addition of Doug Nussmeier as the team’s new offensive coordinator.

“I’m pulling hard for him, I’ve stayed in touch with him over the years,” he said of Moore, who also worked the camp as a counselor after his time at Boise State.

The rookie QB/head coach duo are at the forefront of a personnel overhaul we’re seeing this summer in the Big Easy that has extended across the street from Caesars Superdome to the Smoothie King Center, where the Pelicans are also transitioning into a new era under recently appointed head of basketball operations Joe Dumars.

Manning joins a long list of NFL names from New Orleans and beyond who have expressed nothing but optimism pertaining to the new-look Saints.

What do you make of Manning’s remarks? Does it instill in you greater confidence in Shough and/or Moore? Let us know in the comments below.