Former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees reportedly gave serious thought to returning to the NFL with the Denver Broncos after Bo Nix suffered a season-ending ankle injury during the divisional round of the playoffs. The Broncos made multiple attempts to find a suitable replacement for Nix as they prepared for the AFC Championship Game, including reaching out to Brees directly. Former offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and assistant Pete Carmichael had conversations with Brees about the possibility of his coming out of retirement to play for Denver.
Brees expressed interest in working out before making a final decision, wanting to assess how his body would respond to physical activity, according to CBS Sports. The move was kept secret from longtime coach Sean Payton, who had no knowledge of the outreach at first. When Payton was informed, he initially thought his assistants were referring to a previous attempt to bring Brees back in 2021 for a Monday night game against the Dolphins.
That earlier effort came after Jameis Winston tore his ACL and both Taysom Hill and Trevor Siemian were unavailable due to the COVID-19 list. Although Brees was approached again, he ultimately did not return to the Saints that time either. The idea of Brees rejoining the NFL was not new, as the Indianapolis Colts had recently signed 44-year-old Philip Rivers after Daniel Jones suffered a season-ending injury.
In the aftermath of Nix’s injury, the Broncos reportedly explored various options, including reaching out to Brees, according to a report from denverpost.com. Brees ultimately turned down the opportunity after experiencing wrist discomfort that made him feel physically unable to play. ESPN first reported on the conversations between Brees and Broncos personnel, which were initiated by former assistants Joe Lombardi and Pete Carmichael.
However, NFL roster rules appear to have made the comeback impossible by that point in the season. NBC Sports reported that Brees remained on the Saints’ reserve-retired list. NFL rules say players on the reserve-retired list cannot be reinstated after their club’s Week 13 game or during the final five weeks of the regular season through the postseason. The Saints also would have had to release Brees from the reserve-retired list before Denver could try to acquire him. NBC Sports reported that contact with Brees without permission from the Saints could also raise a tampering issue.
Brees had previously indicated in a podcast that he quickly realized his arm strength was not sufficient for a return to the NFL. The approach came after the Colts signed Rivers, and it was described as an unlikely scenario by those involved. Head coach Sean Payton was unaware of the outreach when it first occurred.
At 47 years old, Brees would have been the second-oldest quarterback to play in an NFL game, behind only George Blanda at 48. He would have competed with backup Jarrett Stidham for the starting role, who struggled in the Broncos’ loss to New England. Brees had hinted at considering a return in February on the New Heights podcast, though he did not mention any specific team.
He noted that while there was a moment where he thought he might play, his body wasn’t ready for game action. In recent years, Brees had dealt with the effects of his previous right shoulder injury, and he experienced discomfort in his throwing wrist when testing a possible return. By 2023, he was only able to throw with his left arm due to shoulder issues, saying that he now throws left-handed in the backyard. ESPN reported that Brees said his right arm no longer worked well enough for serious throwing because of the damage from his 2005 shoulder injury.
Brees had a long and successful career, throwing for 80,358 passing yards and 571 touchdowns over 20 seasons. He led the Saints to a Super Bowl championship in 2009, marking one of the most memorable moments of his career. Brees and Payton discussed the failed comeback attempt again during the summer, when Payton presented Brees for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Brees was officially enshrined on August 8, 2026.
Despite their close relationship and shared history in New Orleans football, neither Brees nor Payton took the idea further with the Broncos. The conversations progressed far enough for Brees to test his arm, but the idea ended after he experienced wrist discomfort. Brees had turned 47 just two days before Bo Nix’s injury occurred on January 17.
One Broncos source said Brees would have been viewed as a possible 1A or 1B option with Stidham if a return had been possible. The Broncos lost their game against New England 10-7 with Stidham starting, and the team was left searching for answers after the injury. Stidham completed 17 of 31 passes for 133 yards with one touchdown and one interception in the AFC Championship Game.
Even though Brees and Payton had a strong connection, they did not pursue the idea of a comeback together in Denver.
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