Not Done Yet? Drew Brees Was ‘Very Close’ To Returning To New Orleans

When it came to their stable of quarterbacks, Saints fans spent much of 2021 season asking one another, "Who Dat?" But had former coach Sean Payton gotten his way, a familiar face would’ve been under center in ‘Nawlins – Drew Brees.

“If you told me right now…if one of these (Super Bowl) teams, something happened to their quarterback and they’re like, 'Hey, we need a quarterback. Will you come in and play?’ I’d play. I’d play in a second,” Brees said during an appearance on the Dan Patrick Show.

Instead of being in the huddle, Brees, who retired last March, spent the football season working for NBC.

As he told Patrick, Brees nearly committed to rejoining the Saints, the same team he spent 15 seasons with, at the request of then head coach Payton. Brees’ would-be return, however, likely would’ve been for just one game: “I was very close. I was very close. I was very close to coming back for that one game.”

The one game Brees was referring to was the Week 16 game on Monday Night Football in which New Orleans was forced to start rookie Ian Book at quarterback after Jameis Winston had already been lost for the season and backups Taysom Hill and Trevor Siemian were on the COVID list.

“There was some other factors and other circumstances…but, yeah. I think it always lives inside you. That fire,” added Brees. “And I think you’re just wired a certain way. I think you can flip the switch.”

The New Orleans quarterback situation is far from settled, but Saints fans needn’t worry. Based on the way Drew sounds, there may be a Brees in the air -- or in the Superdome -- again next fall.

 

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