Shy Tuttle

Shy Tuttle's Biography

Shyheim Devonte Tuttle, born on October 20, 1995, has consistently proved his prowess as an American professional football player. Now a highly regarded nose tackle for the Carolina Panthers in the National Football League (NFL), Tuttle has an illustrious career that traces its roots back to his teenage years.

Early in his life, Tuttle took residence in Midway, North Carolina. His athletic journey commenced in North Davidson High School, where he was a part of the basketball, football, and track and field teams. Notably, as a four-year starter for the school’s football team, the Black Knights, Tuttle managed an astounding 315 career tackles, 66 tackles for loss and 35 sacks. His football acumen saw him being named All-Northwest North Carolina for three consecutive years towards the end of his high school career. He earned his spot in the prestigious 2015 Under Armour All-American Game.

Following high school, Tuttle found a home at the University of Tennessee, playing four seasons for the Volunteers. His first year, however, did not go as planned as it culminated in an unfortunate six games due to a broken fibula and a torn ligament in his ankle. These injuries came at the expense of a match against Georgia. The following season wasn’t exactly smooth for Tuttle either, recording another prematurely ending season when he was injured during his first official career start against South Carolina.

Despite these setbacks, Tuttle bounced back in his junior year by appearing in ten games and starting four. He even managed 27 tackles, 2.5 of which resulted in a loss of yards for the opposition. His senior year saw even further progress as he started in all 12 games for Tennessee and recorded 33 tackles, 2.5 for loss, with one sack, one interception, and two blocked kicks.

In April 2019, Tuttle’s NFL journey started officially when he signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent. He made an impact almost immediately, demonstrating his knack during their season opener against Houston Texans with a combined sack of Deshaun Watson. That game marked his NFL debut.

As his first season in the NFL progressed, Tuttle became a regular, playing all 16 games for the Saints. He registered 18 tackles and two sacks, one of which included his notable comprehensive stop and subsequent stiff-arming of the Atlanta Falcon’s quarterback, Matt Ryan; a play that brought him national attention. The same season, Tuttle made three tackles during the wild card round of playoffs against the Minnesota Vikings.

The subsequent years saw a consistent number of appearances and starts from Tuttle. In both the 2021 and 2022 seasons, Tuttle recorded 15 starts each from potentially 17 games, earning his place as a reliable player for the New Orleans Saints. The 2022 season also saw him accumulating two sacks, 49 total tackles, and deflecting five passing attempts.

In mid-March 2023, Tuttle’s career took a new turn as he signed a significant three-year, $19.5 million contract with the Carolina Panthers. Joining a new team, Tuttle managed to start all 17 games of the 2023 season, proving his value with a half-sack, 43 tackles, and five defended passes.

Tuttle’s domination on the football field is perhaps most evidenced in relation to his family legacy. He is the nephew of Perry Tuttle, a distinguished wide receiver with an equally impressive career span in the NFL, Canadian Football League, and notably, Clemson University. Thus, it can be confidently stated that sporting excellence runs in Shyheim’s family, and he surely is a worthy torchbearer of that lineage.