“I love the game of football, and I will always be involved in the NFL game in some capacity.” After 20 years of dominating the gridiron with the Chargers and the Saints, legendary QB Drew Brees was nowhere near done with his sport. With a deal already in place for his retirement, he joined NBC to kick off his broadcasting career. Originally touted to be the man who could replace Cris Collinsworth on ‘Football Night in America’, Brees’ journey quickly turned south as a reported mutual exit ended his stint with NBC. Years later, Brees has opened up about exactly what went wrong back then…
It’s not every day you hear a legend chuckle about a supposed ‘failure.’ But then again, Drew Brees has made a career out of beating expectations, and he’s not about to let a broadcast booth narrative define him. Imagine a QB dissecting a defense, only this time the opponent is public perception, and Brees, cool-headed, precise, aims to set the record straight. Brees knows the questions swirling around his short-lived NBC tenure: Did Brees really ‘fail’ as a broadcaster? But as he recently revealed on the Dan Patrick Show, the truth is far more nuanced. And in true Brees fashion, he roots it in competition and a deep love for the game.
“I get the feeling that the perception is that somehow, you know, I failed at being a broadcaster,” Brees noted. On the show, he recounted his brief NFL broadcasting experience. Only two games, about eight weeks apart. One was on Thanksgiving in New Orleans, and the other was a playoff contest. For the most part, he was at the studio desk anchoring Football Night in America and handling in-stadium roles, including a pregame Super Bowl broadcast. But that wasn’t what he wanted to do.
Image Credits: Jeff Duncan on X
The job he’d dreamed of was calling NFL games from the booth every week. But that wasn’t available. “The thing I wanted to do most was broadcast NFL games. The thing I had the opportunity to do the least was broadcast NFL games,” Brees reflected. Despite gratitude for working alongside legends like Mike Tirico and Tony Dungy, the reality didn’t match his passion or competitive fire. For Brees, it wasn’t a matter of network dissatisfaction. Quite the opposite: “It was my decision to step away from NBC. It was not theirs. They wanted me back.” His departure was neither a pink slip nor a quiet push out the door. NBC’s demanding travel schedule, mixed with his own desire to spend more weekends coaching his kids, tipped the balance. He even pondered returning to the NFL as a player at one point.
The narrative of failure? Brees clarifies that “it could not be further from the truth.” Brees also remains confident that if he ever returns to broadcasting, he’d be a “top three guy.” And given enough time and his competitive edge, he could also become the best in a few years. And with more career twists loading for him, Brees will have an opportunity to flip his broadcasting narrative on one of the most anticipated games of the new season.
Drew Brees’ Christmas saga with Netflix
What happens when a generational QB leaves behind the high-wattage haze of the network studio? For Drew Brees, it’s about biding time and waiting for the perfect opportunity. His two decades of signal-calling experience give him an edge over analysts. That’s something he’s eager to share with the audience. “I feel like I have an insight to the game that is pretty unique. You know, given my playing experience. I see the game a totally different way. I process it a different way. – at the end of the day, I’m going to wait for the right opportunity and hopefully it comes along.” And for Brees, that opportunity has come in the form of a Christmas broadcast with none other than Netflix.
As Brees talked about it on the Dan Patrick Show, while the matchup coverage isn’t set in stone, a silver lining glimmers for him on Christmas Day. “I’m appreciative of Netflix giving me the opportunity to broadcast on Christmas Day. And I’m not sure exactly which game that’s going to be. There’s two on the slate. But that’ll be a lot of fun.” Netflix is notably set to cover Cowboys vs. Commanders and Lions vs. Vikings on Christmas Day. With Brees set to cover one of these two matchups, it hints at a fresh chapter for sports streaming that just might play to his strengths.
This is more than just a footnote on a resume. Brees’ story is one of managing transitions, public perception, and personal fulfillment. His NBC chapter wasn’t a failure. It was a stepping stone that may lead to an even bigger impact from a booth, a sideline, or now, a Netflix studio. So, should we close the book on Drew Brees the broadcaster? Not by a long shot. For now, he’s waiting for the right snap count, ready to add value in the booth, or wherever football needs him most.
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