CANTON, Ohio - Drew Brees spent Friday morning in a very different kind of spotlight than the one that defined his NFL career. Instead of dropping dimes, the Hall of Fame quarterback was serving chicken tenders, crinkle-cut fries and Texas toast as the Class of 2026 settled into a weekend built around his induction.
For Brees, the Hall of Fame celebration had already started to feel real by Thursday night. The induction weekend opened with a toast in the gallery where each enshrined player’s bronze bust sits, and the names around the room carried weight.
"When you're getting toasted by Willie Lanier and Mean Joe Greene, and you're clinking glasses with Lawrence Taylor, it starts to sink in a little bit, that 'Wow, this is pretty unique,'" Brees told USA TODAY Sports.
He said the Friday afternoon luncheon, reserved for gold jackets only, figures to hit hard too. The incoming inductees won’t speak during it, while a microphone gets passed around the room.
Brees also said parts of the weekend have been kept under wraps to keep the surprise factor alive.
The former Saints star was one of the Hall of Fame Class of 2026 members who took the field Thursday night for the Hall of Fame Game between the Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers. Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Luke Kuechly, Roger Craig and Adam Vinatieri walked the 50-yard line with players from both teams lined up on either side.
"Just having all the fans in the stands, you get the energy in the stadium, obviously the start of the 2026 season here ... but honestly, just being there with my class of guys, the more time we spend together, the more bonded we feel," Brees said. "To be part of this elite club is pretty special."
The moment carried extra meaning with family in the mix. Baylen Brees, Drew’s son who became widely known two decades ago as a baby wearing hearing protection during the Super Bowl celebration, appeared during his father’s NBC interview Thursday night.
Brees said having his four children around as his career was winding down made those years especially memorable.
"They were starting to realize what Dad did and come to the facility with me on certain days, go steal gloves out of Mike Thomas' locker, jump in the cold tub and the whirlpool with me and everything," Brees said. "Those were some cool moments."
And, as Brees put it, there’s still one more cool moment coming.
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