New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough has been playing this season with two broken bones in his non-throwing hand, an injury suffered earlier this month against the Atlanta Falcons, ESPN reports.
Shough is second in the NFL in passing attempts (205) during the Saints' 1-4 start and hasn't missed time despite an injury that is expected to take "months" to heal. He has completed 66.8% of his passes for 1,299 yards, the seventh-most in the league, with nine touchdowns and five interceptions.
Shough has played with tape on both the ring and pinky finger holding them together and the team has not publicly confirmed the diagnosis. Shough passed for a season-low 96 yards against the Minnesota Vikings and their stout defense last week after crossing the 250-yard threshold in each of his previous four outings.
"It's extremely disappointing… we feel the city, everyone coming out and supporting," Shough said after his team's third home loss of the season. "We wanna come back with some vengeance when we're here in the dome, we gotta play better."
Earlier this week amid the franchise's struggles, Saints owner Gayle Benson voiced her frustrations with the season.
"That is not acceptable to me, and it falls short of what our fans truly deserve," Benson said at the Greater New Orleans Quarterback Club on Tuesday. "I hear the frustration directed toward our team and our organization. It is not lost on me. Our fans invest their time, their money and their hearts in the Saints. They are right to expect more than we have delivered.
"As an owner, the responsibility does start with me. I will not make excuses, and I will not accept this level of performance as our standard. I am committed to making the decisions necessary to improve this team. Everyone in this organization understands the urgency. We must prepare better, execute consistently and correct the mistakes that are costing us the games. Words will not restore our fans' confidence; our performance must do that."
On pace for a worse finish in his second season compared to his first with the Saints, coach Kellen Moore shrugged off Benson's remarks.
In a winnable NFC South, New Orleans simply isn't executing at the necessary level to be successful.
"Mrs. B's great," Moore said, via The Associated Press. "We all want better results, and that's how this business is. We're all shooting for the same goals and aspirations. It's about getting there together, collectively. And so that's the focus of our group."
The Saints travel to play the New York Giants in Week 6, with kickoff set for 1 p.m. ET.
