“This is not goodbye, rather a new Beginning”: Drew Brees announces his retirement after 20 years in the NFL.

One of the most illustrious careers in NFL history came to an end this Sunday, as Drew Brees announced his decision to hang up his boots after 20 years as an NFL quarterback. His 4 kids announced in a video on Instagram:

Drew Brees added a message to the post:

“After 20 years as a player in the NFL and 15 years as a Saint, it is time I retire from the game of football. Each day, I poured my heart & soul into being your Quarterback. Till the very end, I exhausted myself to give everything I had to the Saints organization, my team, and the great city of New Orleans. We shared some amazing moments together, many of which are emblazoned in our hearts and minds and will forever be a part of us….

What Made Drew Brees’ Career Historic

The 42 year old’s transcendent football career put him in the company of some of the greatest of all time. Drew Brees smashed all time league records across 20 glorious years. In 2018, he added to his trophy case the NFL’s most prestigious passing record – most passing yards by a quarterback.  Brees still holds that record and added to his lead  with 80,358 career passing yards as the 2020-21 season ended.

Paving the way to that achievement was Drew Brees’ record-breaking accuracy. Brees also holds the records for most career completions (7,142 completions) as well as best career completion percentage by quarterbacks who threw 2,000+ passes (67.7 %).

His most efficient years came in the latter half of his career. In 2017 he set the record for completion percentage in a season (72%), only to beat his own record the following season in 2018 (74.4). The night Drew Brees broke Peyton Manning’s all time touchdown record, he also broke the single game completion record where he completed a whopping 96.7% of his passes.

The 13 time pro bowler also holds records for most games by a quarterback with 300+ passing yards (123 games) and most seasons with 5,000+ passing yards (5 seasons).

And while Tom Brady may have passed Drew Brees for all-time passing touchdowns, Brees still leads the leagues on several metrics for touchdowns. Brees is tied for the most passing touchdowns in a single game (7-touchdowns on Nov. 1, 2015). He also has the most games by a quarterback with four or more passing touchdowns (37 games), with five or more passing touchdowns (11 games). He also has the most seasons with 30+ touchdowns

Drew Brees – New Orleans Bond

More than his gaudy numbers and remarkable accomplishments, Drew Brees will always be revered for helping to revive the Saints franchise and the city of New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina when he and coach Sean Payton arrived together in 2006.

In his final game with the Chargers in 2005, Drew Brees suffered a devastating shoulder injury. A 360-degree labrum tear and some rotator cuff damage, which required 12 anchors to repair. While Drew rehabbed, living with the angst of not knowing where his future lay, Hurricane Katrina came and devoured the city of New Orleans, leaving the people and the city broken and shattered.

However in March of 2006, the Saints took a huge risk by signing Brees. And in one of the most enthralling rags to riches stories in NFL history, Drew Brees led the Saints to their first NFC championship game in his first season. 3 years later, he won the city their first ever Super Bowl, Brees being named the game’s MVP.

Players across the league showered Drew with appreciation. With his video game like numbers and almost insurmountable records, it’s a certainty that Drew Brees will be a Hall of Famer the moment his name goes on the ballot.

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