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Drew Brees is one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. He helped turn around the New Orleans Saints and delivered the city a Super Bowl title. His retirement in 2020 was sad for fans, but it made sense given his age and plenty of other factors.
This week, he kick-started the rumors about a return to the NFL. His tweet is interesting as it could be seen as serious, or alternatively as tongue-in-cheek. Regardless, it does seem that a potential NFL return remains on his mind to some degree.
What we do know is that he is out of NBC Sports after one year broadcasting. But does that mean he should make a return to the NFL?
The answer to that is no and these are three reasons why:
#1 - Recent injury history
It is fair to say that Brees limped to the finish line of his NFL career. The 2020 season saw him miss time with an injury that included over 10 broken ribs and a collapsed lung. That is an injury more associated with a car crash rather than one's chosen profession.
It was a brutal injury and to his credit, he somehow made a return to the field for the Saints. Yet he is now 43 years old and another such catastrophic injury could lead to serious long-term damage. If it happened once, it could happen again.
#2 - Where would he play?
The storybook tale here would see Brees return and lead the Saints back to glory. But they already have their quarterback in Jameis Winston. So where could he show up right away and play?
The two teams in need of help under center are the Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks. It just seems highly unlikely that he would want to come back at the age of 43 for a team other than the Saints.
This is not a situation where he sat out a year because of injury. He retired and didn't train for a full season. Winston showed flashes of greatness before a season-ending injury. A return to New Orleans may only be a distraction, setting the Saints back.
#3 - He can pursue more broadcast opportunities
It seems NBC wasn't a good fit for Brees, but he can still seek new opportunities at a different network.
Tom Brady just locked up a deal with Fox for 10 years and $375 million. That type of deal is not on the table for Brees, or else he would have signed it by now. But leaving the broadcast world after a year and then trying to return to the NFL could mean he misses a great opportunity.
His best option is to land a new job, if he wants it and make money without taking any hits on the field. The last thing anyone wants to see is a legend of the sport hurt on the field.
