Hank Lockwood takes credit for inspiring Tyler Shough

When Tyler Shough joined Wake Up Barstool on September 22, he got asked about the most important event of the Saints' offseason. It wasn't a free agent signing or a new wrinkle in the playbook. It was Hank. Shough did not dodge it and he did not laugh it off. He answered like a guy at the podium on a Wednesday, dead serious, and that's the whole reason the answer works.

Viva La Stool

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“We felt the shockwaves throughout the locker room… It just shows the character of Hank though for sure” -Tyler Shough

Pardon My Take

@PardonMyTake

Hall of Fame PMT Moment today Hank farted mid Kellen Moore interview t.co/O741FZNdYG

If you need the backstory, here it is. Back in May, Saints head coach Kellen Moore sat down with Pardon My Take as the finale of the show's annual Grit Week. In the middle of a question, Hank Lockwood let one rip. Big Cat said it was so loud that everybody heard it. Hank blamed crossing his legs and 'the physics of it,' then gave a very sincere apology while wearing a green duck hat. TMZ picked it up, so Hank's fart became national news before the Saints ever took a snap.

Months later, the people who were in the room still aren't over it. PFT Commenter went back and rewatched the tape, and what got him wasn't the noise. It was Hank's delivery.

PFT Commenter

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Rewatching this. Hanks comedic timing on “do you feel the momentum”is so good

Pardon My Take

@PardonMyTake

Hall of Fame PMT Moment today Hank farted mid Kellen Moore interview

Shough has earned the right to be this loose. He was a 2025 second-round pick who didn't open his rookie year as the starter. Once he took the job from Spencer Rattler, he went 5-4 over the last 9 games, completing 67.6% of his passes for 2,384 yards and 10 touchdowns. That was enough for the Saints to commit to him as their 2026 starter. On the Wake Up Barstool interview, Big Cat went further and said Shough should have won Rookie of the Year. The bit before the serious question was a Pelicans callback, which is now officially a running joke.

Wake Up Barstool

@wakeupbarstool

“Well, the Pelicans' facility's right there. What's your serious question?” – Big Cat

0:39

Big Cat's verdict afterward was simple: this is why Tyler Shough is the best. He's not wrong. Most young QBs treat a podcast hit like a deposition. Shough took a fart question and answered it like a captain talking about team chemistry. The takes started coming in that he might be the funniest QB in the league.

Barstool Sports

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“This is why Tyler Shough is the best” -Big Cat

Then Hank got his turn. On the September 23 Pardon My Take, he didn't apologize again. He did the most Hank thing possible and flipped the whole episode into a story about his own leadership.

Viva La Stool

@VivaLaStool

“It could have been considered a bad moment, I never thought about it that way and it’s clearly inspiring our guy Shough so credit to me” -Henry Lockwood

Viva La Stool

@VivaLaStool

“We felt the shockwaves throughout the locker room… It just shows the character of Hank though for sure” -Tyler Shough t.co/Io4n5gC9cN

So that's where things stand. A starting NFL quarterback says the fart shaped his locker room, and the guy who farted says he inspired the quarterback. If the Saints win the division, Hank is going to want a ring. If Shough keeps playing like this, it's hard to argue he doesn't deserve at least a fleur-de-lis on the duck hat.