Category: drew brees

Drew Brees talks partnership with Bounty, Super Bowl heading to New Orleans

Saints quarterback Drew Brees and former Patriots star Rob Gronkowski have partnered with Bounty paper towels, and are headed to New Orleans together for the Super Bowl:

Drew Brees and Rob Gronkowski’s playing days are behind them, but they’re doing big things off the field. And they are doing it together. Both players have partnered with Bounty paper towels ahead of this year’s Super Bowl LIX at the Caesars Superdome, and I caught up with them earlier this week.

“I’m a Bounty man, I’ve been with them for about three years now and I’m fired up to be once again,” Gronkowski told me. “Every year I have a wingman. Last year, it was Julian Edelman, who was my teammate on the New England Patriots for nine years.”

Partnering with Brees especially appealed to Gronkowski because of the fact he has such strong connections to the Big Easy.

Gronkowski continued: “And, now this year, with the Super Bowl being in New Orleans, I needed a final wingman out there to show me the city, because I’ve never really been there before. Who is better to do that than Drew Brees?”

Brees has brought a lot of success to the city that it has not seen since he left the field there.

“He’s brought the Super Bowl to the city there and is basically the mayor there,” Gronkowski said. “He knows all the things about that place, knows all of the restaurants, so I call up Drew, asked him to be my wingman, and he accepted it with no problem.”

The former Saints quarterback was immediately on board with the idea and Gronkowski’s thinking behind it.

“He loved the saying — you can’t have football without wings and you can’t have wings without Bounty,” Gronkowski said. “Loved that I’m from Buffalo, and I love my buffalo wings … But whenever I eat them, I always cause a mess and it gets cleaned up by my quicker picker upper, Bounty paper towels. So, I appreciate Drew tagging along this year.”

Brees echoed Gronkowski’s thoughts and said he was greatly looking forward to the pair teaming up down in the bayou.

“I’ll be his wingman any time,” Brees said. “I’m excited to get Gronk out to New Orleans and I can’t believe he’s never been down there before. We’re going to have a great Super Bowl there.”

Super Bowl LIX is set for Sunday, Feb. 9 at the Caesars Superdome. Like Brees and Gronkowski, we’ll be watching.

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If Saints choose to hire from within, Drew Brees has his pick for head coach

Drew Brees named who his pick would be if the New Orleans Saints choose to hire their next head coach with another internal promotion:

The New Orleans Saints are one of just many teams who enter a search for their next head coach as they begin the 2025 offseason.

Saints legend Drew Brees named former Saints defensive backs coach Aaron Glenn as his current top choice for the head coaching position when I asked him who his personal top candidate was this week.

But Brees also mentioned how many times the Saints have chosen to hire internally. That would not be entirely out of the picture in his eyes, and he says that if he had to choose one person from within the organization in which to promote, he would give the job to current offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.

“I really like the job (Klint) Kubiak did. I love the offense he brought. I love the shifts, the movement, the run game scheme, and then obviously the play-action that comes off of that,” Brees told me this week.

It’s his first year on the job after coming to the Saints via the San Francisco 49ers, who Brees doted on Kubiak for doing such a good job with, also mentioning how well Brock Purdy has done there.

And Brees could hardly be more of a fan of the offense Kubiak has put together. While that side of the ball had its high points and low points, there is no denying how electric it looked when it was at full capacity for the first two games of the season.

The Saints scored 91 points over that time span.

Kubiak may have caught some flack from fans when the Saints were at their lowest, but it is important to remember just how much adversity New Orleans faced, especially on the injury front.

“I think Kubiak did a great job, obviously in a tough situation,” Brees said. “Not having a lot of weapons and then going through three quarterbacks for a lot of the year.”

Regardless of who they Saints choose to hire as their next head coach, Kubiak does not seem to have any concern over the direction of the franchise as a whole.

We’ll see how it plays out, but I think the Saints are going to be just fine.”

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Drew Brees weighs in on the state of Saints after disappointing 2024 season

Ever an optimist, Drew Brees shared his thoughts on the Saints as a team and where they stand after the concussion of a disappointing 2024 season:

The New Orleans Saints are in quite the state of transition after finishing the 2024 season on a low note, falling 27-19 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the season finale. That ended their year with a 5-12 record, a top-10 pick in this year’s draft, and an uncertain future without a head coach in place.

There’s plenty of work to do as the team looks to find their next coach, has questions at quarterback for the long-term and has multiple positions of need to fill as the 2025 NFL draft looms ahead.

We spoke with former Saints quarterback Drew Brees on the state of the team and how he reflects on last season. Brees quickly pointed out that the biggest issue was the injury bug, which the Saints caught in a major way.

“The tough part with the Saints is that they weren’t healthy,” Brees told me this week. “They lost both of their starting receivers early in the season between Rasheed Shahid and Chris Olave.”

The difference between the first two games of the season, in which the Saints looked like an offensive juggernaut scoring 91 points, compared to what the rest of the season looked like was like night and day.

Brees continued: “You look at what they did the first two weeks of the season when everybody was healthy. They were as good of an offensive team as anybody in the league. All of the sudden, guys just start dropping like flies, and then you lose Derek Carr there toward the end. You lose Alvin Kamara, you lose Taysom Hill.”

Brees went as far as to say that it was not totally fair to evaluate the Saints because of just how many elements were missing.

“The were shorthanded most of the year, which put a lot of pressure on guys both of offense and on defense,” Brees said. “So, kind of unfair to evaluate the team, other than noting they had a lot of young guys who stepped up and had a chance to play.”

And there were some diamonds in the rough who did show their talents and gained some recognition for the bright spots they were able to provide in an otherwise largely abysmal season.

“You trade Marshon Lattimore, arguably one of the best defensive guys in the secondary, kind of midway through the season, which allowed some young, secondary players to come in and get more time,” Brees said. Alontae Taylor and Kool-Aid McKinstry played more snaps after Lattimore was traded, but other defensive backs like Ugo Amadi, Shemar Jean-Charles, and Rico Payton got more opportunities because of it, too.

Despite the blunders and the fact the Saints have to practically totally rebuild on all fronts going into next season, looking to bounce back from a 5-12 overall record that put them at dead last in the NFC South, Brees views this team as being in a “good position.” He’s always been an optimist.

“So, look, they’re kind of in good position. But, obviously, they’re going out and looking for a new head coach, whether they recruit that guy from within, which is kind of where we have been the last 20 years,” Brees said.

The Saints have another option here, and it may just be time to pull the trigger on it. Brees does not seem too opposed.

“Or,” Brees added, “you go outside of the building and go get somebody with some fresh perspective.”

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Drew Brees shares his take on Spencer Rattler, Jake Haener

Drew Brees shared his take on New Orleans Saints quarterbacks Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener: ‘This will be a great offseason for both of them to really compete’

The New Orleans Saints have not had a truly reliable quarterback since the legendary Drew Brees retired, but have been going back and forth between different options.

For now, those primary options are Derek Carr, Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener. While the veteran Carr is clearly the guy for now, the Saints must start looking to the future soon and must evaluate the potential of both Rattler and Haener.

Brees recently weighed in on both players, who got a ton of playing time when Carr went down with an injury not once, but twice during the 2024 season.

“I think both of them showed great signs of what could be to come. Both of them have some unique traits,” Brees told me this week. “They’re kind of smaller, undersized guys, more my size at about 6-foot-1. Both of them are very athletic and they can make a ton of plays on the perimeter. This day and age, you see that becoming more the norm of the quarterback position.”

Brees also said that he views the Klint Kubiak system as a solid fit for both signal-callers, though that obviously could change at some point. How the head coaching search shakes out will have a ton of bearing on that.

“The offense suits both of them well. This will be a great offseason for both of them to really compete,” Brees said. “We will see what offensive scheme is in place, based on what happens with the head coach. They’ve shown what they can do if given the opportunity.”

Jake Haener was the preferred backup for Spencer Rattler on game days, but it was Rattler who got the start most often once Carr went down. It will be interesting to see what the Saints choose to do at this position moving forward and what the future holds for a team in the midst of full change.

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Drew Brees reveals his pick for who should be the next Saints head coach

Drew Brees shared his top pick for who should the next head coach of the New Orleans Saints. It’s someone he’s known for decades as a coach and teammate:

The New Orleans Saints are in a state of transition as they move forward in their coaching search to permanently replace Dennis Allen, who had been replaced by Darren Rizzi at least for the interim.

New Orleans has been busy scheduling interviews with candidates, and one of those is former Saints defensive backs coach Aaron Glenn, who is currently the defensive coordinator for the red-hot Detroit Lions.

And that’s Drew Brees’ pick for who should be the next Saints head coach, a position he says should be a “highly sought-after job.”

“He would be my top pick right now,” Brees told me this week.

It didn’t take the former quarterback long to come to that conclusion, either.

“The first guy who comes to my mind is Aaron Glenn,” Brees said. “Arguably, one of the greatest defensive backs to ever play the game. I played against him, I was a teammate of his too. He’s a leader of men. He garners a ton of respect. He knows the game. He is highly competitive.”

Outside of Glenn’s pure coaching abilities, his methods and what he brings just as a person and with ideas of how to build for success appeal greatly to Brees.

“He’s great interacting with players, and is an exceptional teacher,” Brees continued. “I think he would put together a great staff as well that will come out and continue to accentuate New Orleans currently has in the locker room with his talent.”

The interest is clearly mutual, as the Saints scheduled an interview with Glenn this Friday. He’ll be a huge get for whichever team he accepts the job from, currently also set to interview with the New York Jets (who drafted Glenn, and who have hired him before as a scout), Chicago Bears and Jacksonville Jaguars as well. It would not be at all surprising to see that list grow, either.

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Drew Brees recognized for one of the best seasons by an ‘old guy’

Drew Brees’ 2018 season was unique for him, and Bleacher Report called it one of the best performances by an ‘old guy’ athlete:

Bleacher Report’s David Kenyon took a look at the best seasons in sports by an “old guy” since 2015. Kenyon defined an old guy as a player who is at least 38 years old, and Drew Brees represents the New Orleans Saints on the list.

The ageless wonder played four seasons over the age of 38 from 2017-2020, and led the league in completion percentage in three of those seasons. The 2018 season was the most special of the quartet, and it’s was an easy choice for Kenyon.

Both Brees and the Saints had their best performances that season. The season ended with the infamous No-Call, but it’s the closest New Orleans has gotten to the Super Bowl since 2011.

Ironically, 2018 was also the first time Brees returned to the MVP conversation since 2011. The then 39-year old had the best passer rating in the NFL, but ultimately fell second in the MVP voting to Patrick Mahomes.

Drew Brees is known for putting up ridiculous yardage, but this year featured modest output. His 2018 campaign was highlighted by efficiency. Brees recorded the highest completion percentage in NFL history and the lowest interception percentage of his career.

The 2018 season ended tragically for the Saints, but it was a great year for the legendary quarterback.

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Two former Saints players will be on the Netflix Christmas broadcast

Two former New Orleans Saints players will be part of the star-studded on-air talent group for the Netflix Christmas Day doubleheader:

This year the NFL will be treated to something a little different for the Christmas Day football games. The two games on the day of Christmas will be shown on Netflix in 2024, and with that, they had to form their own broadcast crews made up of a conglomerate of reporters, former players, and pretty much anyone they thought would be a good fit.

With that, the New Orleans Saints had two former players tied into this list, with quarterback Drew Brees and linebacker Manti Te’o joining the 22-person on-air talent crew. While it is unclear what role everyone will be joining in, the group they put together is quite impressive.

The double header will consist of a Noon CT/ 1 p.m. ET game with the Kansas City Chiefs traveling to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers, and then a 3:30 p.m. CT/ 4:30 p.m.. ET game between the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. We will get to see Drew Brees get back in the booth finally, and a debut for Manti Te’o in the NFL media landscape.

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Saints fans’ most-searched player stats aren’t for anyone on the roster

Saints fans in Louisiana have spent a lot of time reflecting on the past. Their most-searched player stats aren’t for anyone on the roster:


New Orleans Saints fans in Louisiana have spent a lot of time reflecting on the past, which is easy to understand in a 4-8 season wrecked by injuries to star talents. But their most-searched player stats aren’t for anyone on the roster. Pro Football Network’s researchers found that readers from Louisiana visited the page for Drew Brees more than any other player.

Not Derek Carr. Not Alvin Kamara. Brees received more views on his PFN player stats page than any active Saints players.

Saints fans weren’t the only ones keeping an eye on their former players. New England Patriots fans in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Maine viewed Tom Brady’s page more frequently than any active Patriots players, too. Chicago Bears fans in Illinois kept tabs on Justin Fields (moreso than Caleb Williams) while Seattle Seahawks faithful in Washington state have been checking on the other Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, Russell Wilson. And Tennessee Titans fans have been watching Derrick Henry’s progress with the Baltimore Ravens, too.

But studying this map makes a few things clear. Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson are faces of the league, while regional favorites like Josh Allen, Jared Goff, Jordan Love, Sam Darnold and Brock Purdy are building strong followings. And it’s a quarterback-driven league. Henry is the only skills position player represented on the map. Finding a talented young passer is key, and the sooner the Saints can find a worthy heir for Brees, the better.

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Drew Brees could be returning to the broadcast booth

Report: Netflix is in conversations to add former Saints quarterback Drew Brees to coverage for their Christmas Day double-header:

Drew Brees has expressed his desire to step back into the broadcast booth. The opportunity appears to be presenting itself. Brees along with NFL Redzone’s Scott Hanson are in conversations with Netflix to be a part of the international broadcast of the streaming platform’s Christmas Day double-header.

Christmas Day has long belonged to the NBA, but the NFL has attempted to stake their claim to the day in recent years. The New Orleans Saints have been a part of that history when Alvin Kamara dropped a gaggle of touchdowns on the Minnesota Vikings.

This year’s matchups pit the Kansas City Chiefs against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens versus the Houston Texans, both streamed live on Netflix.

As for Brees? The legendary quarterback has been primarily an in-studio analyst for NFL games, but he believes his best usage is in the booth for professional games. Brees told Front Office Sports, “That’s what I feel like I’m most qualified to do. That’s what I feel like I’m most passionate about. And certainly where my knowledge base lies, right?”

Brees getting this opportunity could initiate the comeback he is trying to make.

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Drew Brees explains sideline exchange with Johnny Manziel at Texas-Texas A&M

Drew Brees was spotted shaking hands with Johnny Manziel before kickoff between Texas and Texas A&M. He says he ‘always wanted to be an Aggie’

The stars were out for last weekend’s rivalry game between the Texas Longhorns and Texas A&M Aggies. And they weren’t limited to just famous alumni like Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel. Former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees made the trip to Kyle Field, too, and his presence there didn’t go unnoticed.

There were dozens of cameras on hand for the high-profile matchup, and one of them caught an exchange between Brees and Manziel prior to kickoff, which he spoke about on “The Herd” with Colin Cowherd this week.

“I always wanted to be an Aggie,” Brees had laughed, shaking hands with Manziel. Brees, of course, was a college football star at Purdue — and before that, he achieved a sensational career at Austin Westlake High School. As a Texas native, would have stayed in-state if given the chance. But why the affinity for Texas A&M?

“So both my parents went to Texas A&M,” Brees began. “And I grew up in Austin, Texas which ironically the University of Texas was right down the road. I used to walk down to Memorial Stadium and buy scalp tickets in the cheap seats there to watch UT play back in the early Nineties. I loved Texas A&M but I was kind of outsider in Austin being an Aggie fan.”

Had he gotten his way, Brees says, he would’ve relished the opportunity to bring his parents’ alma mater into the modern age.

“A&M always had the reputation as being a hardnosed football program. Great defensive linemen, great linebackers, defensive ends, running backs and tight ends. They certainly weren’t known for their quarterbacks and passing game. I always wanted to be that guy to bring A&M into the next generation with their evolution of the passing game,” Brees grinned.

Instead, Brees went out of state to write a different story in his football life. He earned Heisman Trophy votes himself (finishing fourth in 1999 and third in 2000) while airing it out with the Boilermakers, which helped him get drafted highly after turning pro. The skills he developed there bore fruit when he joined the Saints in 2006, and the rest is history.

Brees continued: “Unfortunately I wasn’t offered by them and had to go out of state to Purdue. It’s funny because I tell people now it’s the best thing that ever happened to me. I would’ve been handing the ball off to you know, Dante Hall and some of these other guys at Texas A&M, instead I got to go up and play for Joe Tiller at Purdue and throw the ball 50 times a game. So I think it worked out okay.”

Decades later, Brees has a Super Bowl ring, dozens of NFL records in his name, and a spot waiting for him at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. That’s a career anyone can be proud of, though some Aggies fans may be left wondering about what may have been.

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