The duo of Drew Brees and Sean Payton is one of the greatest quarterback-head coach relationships in NFL history. They rewrote the record books, and put together the best run of passing offense the league has seen. They led the golden age of New Orleans Saints history, and they were dangerously close to extending that connection with the Denver Broncos in last year's AFC Championship game.
Ironically, Payton had nothing to do with trying to bring Brees out of retirement. It was actually Joe Lombardi and Pete Carmichael, who also spent time with Brees and Payton in New Orleans, that contacted Brees when Bo Nix went down with injury. Payton found out in the offseason after everything else had transpired.
Brees was giving the idea serious consideration and even went to the field test if his body was ready. It wasn't, and wrist discomfort made the legend decline. A few months ago, Brees revealed that he nearly came out of retirement, and now we know why.
It would have been fun to watch Drew Brees again, but it was for the best
With the way Jarrett Stidham played in the game, the Broncos might as well had Brees at the helm. Stidham was a non factor, and the game was a defensive affair that only required one play offensively. Brees wouldn't have been anywhere close to himself, but you have to wonder if he could have got that one play.
The weather was unforgiving, and Brees isn't throwing with his right arm these days. It likely would have been a struggle for him to get anything going. Making a last ditch effort to come back for a game that wasn't best suited for throwing the ball could have produced less than stellar results.
Even Drake Maye, runner up for the MVP, failed to produce 100 yards. It's hard to imagine Brees would have had a much better game considering his own physical limitations, the weather and the fact that the Patriots had a really good defense last year in any weather. It would have been a a high reward situation, but Brees' wrist discomfort may have saved us from seeing a legend come back as a shell of himself.
Brees went into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this past August, and he was a first ballot Hall of Famer from the moment he retired. A return in the AFC Championship Game, however, would have reset Brees’ clock, and would have to had to wait until 2031 to make the Hall. The extra five year wait would have been hard, but it would have made for a great story if he won though.
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