Drew Brees is officially heading to Canton, and it’s no surprise he made it on the first ballot. The longtime New Orleans Saints quarterback, who retired in 2021 after 20 seasons in the NFL, now takes his rightful place among football’s all-time greats.
But as it turns out, Brees wasn’t completely done with the game-not mentally, at least.
On a recent episode of the New Heights podcast with Jason and Travis Kelce, Brees revealed that he seriously considered coming out of retirement during the 2025 season. The trigger?
Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix went down with a season-ending ankle injury against the Buffalo Bills. And for a moment, the idea of lacing up the cleats again didn’t seem so far-fetched.
"I've had some conversations," Brees admitted. "Had some moments.
I would say this-my body feels great, my mind is sharp as ever. Shoulder and wrist?
Not having it."
That last part is key. Brees said the thought of returning got so real that he actually put down his tequila, switched to water, and started thinking like a player again-early bedtimes, morning workouts, even tossing the ball around to see what was left in the tank. But ultimately, the shoulder and wrist issues that plagued him late in his career were still there, and they were deal-breakers.
"I really think I'd still be playing if the shoulder and the wrist wouldn't have started to let me down," Brees said.
It’s a fascinating window into the mind of a competitor. Even after five years away from the field, Brees still felt the fire.
And make no mistake-this wasn’t just a passing thought. This was a Hall of Fame quarterback seriously considering a comeback, until his body gave him the final answer.
In his final season with the Saints, Brees played 12 games and led New Orleans to a 9-3 record. Even then, it was clear the physical toll was mounting.
But the leadership, the football IQ, the command of the huddle-those were never in question. And they still aren’t.
After Brees’ Hall of Fame induction, Broncos head coach Sean Payton-his longtime partner in New Orleans-shared a heartfelt message on social media that captured just how much Brees meant to the game and to those who coached him.
“He came when most were leaving… Set a bar so high for all of us… He led immediately… He’s OUR 1st Ballot HOF QB! Congratulations Drew Brees.
Also, Congratulations to your wife Brittany, Baylen, Bowen, Callen and Rylen. It was an honor to have coached you,” Payton wrote.
Payton and Brees were more than just coach and quarterback-they were the architects of a football renaissance in New Orleans. Together, they turned the Saints into perennial contenders and brought home the franchise’s first Super Bowl title. Their connection helped redefine what a high-powered offense could look like in the modern NFL.
Brees’ Hall of Fame nod is more than a career capstone-it’s a celebration of a player who changed the game with precision, passion, and relentless preparation. And even now, years after his last snap, he’s still wired like a quarterback.
The shoulder and wrist might have said no, but the heart? That part of Drew Brees never retired.