[jwplayer zrI1qaV9-ThvAeFxT]
It’ll be the New Orleans Saints or retirement for Drew Brees, the Hall of Fame-bound quarterback who’s played 19 seasons in the NFL. Brees has broken every record in the book during his 14 years with the Saints, and seen each of his four children grow up in New Orleans. With his contract set to expire in March, he knows that a lot of people are waiting for him to decide whether he’ll play one more year — including the Saints themselves, who must also work out new contracts with backups Teddy Bridgewater and Taysom Hill. For his part, Brees is just sorry that he can’t give any better soundbites at this time.
Brees apologized for responding with “the same boring answers each year” during a Saturday media availability session ahead of the 2020 Pro Bowl game. He’s a backup for the NFC team this year, meaning he’ll have to wait for Seattle Seahawks star Russell Wilson to run the first-string offense in the all-star game before Brees gets his own spot in the limelight. But he’s just content in getting to share the time with his peers and family.
“Obviously being here, I’m just very much focused on my family and this opportunity to be be around the guys, playing the game,” Brees told Nola.com’s Amie Just. “Then, I’ll kind of lay low for a little bit, get away and then assess. I kind of have a process in mind. And I’ll give it a month or so.”
Brees typically spends the offseason in San Diego, taking his children to the beach during the summer while training with former teammates like Darren Sproles and Brandin Cooks, as well as his favorite target, Michael Thomas. Respected opponents like NFC South-rival defensive lineman Gerald McCoy have also joined him for workouts during his West Coast sabbaticals.
So he’ll take some time to decompress from a tough 2019 season, which saw the 41-year-old quarterback set back by a thumb injury to his throwing hand, as well as another crushing postseason exit. There’s no questioning whether Brees played well enough last year to warrant one more run at another Super Bowl title — but it would be easy to square with his thinking if it’s time for him to step away from the game.
[vertical-gallery id=27549]