Guido Merkens

Tyler Shough operates in a completely different stratosphere. Shough's a modern pocket passer with legitimate arm talent; Merkens was the ultimate Swiss Army knife—he threw 283 yards total in his career. Shough's job is to win games at quarterback. Merkens's job was to be available at literally any position when injuries hit. Different eras, different skill sets, different purposes entirely.

No, Merkens never made Canton. His Hall of Fame case essentially doesn't exist—he was a role player, albeit an exceptional one. He threw two touchdown passes in a decade. But in New Orleans, he's remembered as a legend for his willingness to do whatever the team needed, which is its own kind of immortality.

The search results don't contain information about Merkens's current activities in 2026. Without access to recent biographical data, I can't reliably tell you whether he's in broadcasting, business, or private life. You'd need current reporting to answer this one accurately.

Merkens would be a practice squad curiosity at best. Modern NFL demands specialists, not generalists. His 283 career passing yards wouldn't survive a preseason. The rules favor passing? He'd be even more exposed. He was valuable because teams needed emergency depth across positions—today's rosters are too deep for that archetype.

It's not a comparison; it's a chasm. Brees was a Hall of Fame caliber starter who defined an era. Merkens threw seven career passing yards and served as a third-string QB and special teams maven. Brees won games. Merkens won respect for his versatility. Both wore black and gold, but that's where the similarities end.