If the Broncos came close to pulling Drew Brees out of retirement for the AFC Championship game in January, one very important member of the staff claims he was entirely unaware.
Denver head coach Sean Payton denied knowing that the Broncos contacted Brees to gauge his willingness to play against the New England Patriots in the conference championship game.
The interest from Denver was previously unreported until ESPN broke the story before the Broncos were manhandled by the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night.
When Bo Nix went down with a season-ending ankle injury in the divisional round, the Broncos turned instead to Jarrett Stidham for the home game against the Patriots. New England won the game 10-7 in snowy, windy conditions to reach the Super Bowl and lost to the Seahawks.
“I just know I was the odd man out. I never heard about it,” Payton said after Monday’s loss. “It never came to anything. I was only told about it later. I was just like you guys.”
Stidham and the Broncos produced only 181 total yards of offense with Payton calling the plays. He handed that role over to Davis Webb in the offseason and Denver had 176 yards total offense at Kansas City as the Brees discussion became a popular talking point postgame.
Longtime NFL reporter Ed Werder reported Tuesday that Brees confirmed he was contacted by former Saints assistant coaches now working under Payton in Denver. Former Broncos offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi, who is now with the Ravens after three seasons in Denver, and former offensive assistant Pete Carmichael were on Payton’s staff with the Saints during Brees’ tenure.
Brees retired after 20 NFL seasons as one of the most prolific passers in NFL history. He is second all-time with 80,358 passing yards and 571 passing touchdowns, won Super Bowl XLIV with Payton as his coach and earned Super Bowl MVP honors.
Brees, 47, told Werder he didn’t immediately turn down the overtures from the Broncos, which came one day after Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Fouts knocked at the door to inform Brees he was being inducted into the Hall of Fame.
After confirming with Hall of Fame CEO Jim Porter that coming out of retirement wouldn’t impact his just-learned HOF status — according to Werder, he was told he could play and still be enshrined in August — Brees and his son Callen went to a nearby field to throw.
Brees said he had mentally and emotionally decided to play in the game. But while trying to get loose, his chronically problematic right shoulder and right wrist limited his velocity to the extent he was uncomfortable throwing more than 15 yards.
Payton introduced Brees for his enshrinement ceremony in Canton last month.
Brees addressed him directly in his speech on Aug. 8, touching on memories from 15 seasons the quarterback played in New Orleans.
“Coach, you were brilliant,” Brees said. “I saw myself as an extension of you on that field. I always had something to prove to you, and I always wanted to make you right. And I know you trusted me, and that allowed us both to be great.”