Drew Brees signed with the Saints 15 years ago today; is this the day he retires?

USA TODAY Sports

On March 14, 2006, the Saints added a free-agent quarterback whom the Dolphins had decided not to sign. Fifteen years later, Drew Brees has become one of the best and most productive quarterbacks in league history.

Jeff Duncan of TheAthletic.com notes the anniversary of Brees’ initial signing with the Saints. Duncan also suggests that it would be “fitting” and “very much on brand” for Brees to announce his retirement today.

Duncan’s guess feels at least a little educated. If, however, he knows something about Brees’ plans, the Saints don’t — or at least didn’t. Nearly six weeks ago, coach Sean Payton said that Brees would be making an announcement about his future within a week or a week and a half.

Three days from the start of the league year, it would be helpful for the Saints to know whether Brees has done the unexpected and decided to keep playing. His status surely will be a factor in whether Jameis Winston would be willing to stick around for a second season with the team.

16 responses to “Drew Brees signed with the Saints 15 years ago today; is this the day he retires?

  1. Brees is an excellent QB, but money hungry. His greed has kept the Saints from winning several Super Bowls. If he had accepted somewhat less money they could have had a couple of standout players that pushed them into the Super Bowl. The cap hell the Saints are in today are because of Brees greed.

  2. “Brees is an excellent QB, but money hungry. His greed has kept the Saints from winning several Super Bowls. If he had accepted somewhat less money they could have had a couple of standout players that pushed them into the Super Bowl. The cap hell the Saints are in today are because of Brees greed.”

    There is nothing greedy about any player seeking maximum compensation. Navigating the salary cap and building a roster is the team’s responsibility, not any individual player.

  3. I hate when players drag it out like this. If he plans to retire this offseason, he needs to do it very soon.

  4. firejerry says:
    March 14, 2021 at 11:11 am
    Brees is an excellent QB, but money hungry. His greed has kept the Saints from winning several Super Bowls. If he had accepted somewhat less money they could have had a couple of standout players that pushed them into the Super Bowl. The cap hell the Saints are in today are because of Brees greed.

    0 2 Rate This
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    Uh, no. The job of an elite QB is to give his team the best chance to win, and Brees has done that. Numerous 4th quarter comebacks for wins. A consistent record of division titles and playoff appearances. The worst no-call of all time that prevented a second Super Bowl appearance. Heroic playoff comebacks that went for naught due to last second defensive collapses (va 49ers in 2011 and Minnesota in 2017). Even at diminished capacity, Brees had the lead and the ball, driving for a two-TD lead vs Tampa Bay late in the 3rd quarter of their playoff game this year, and a strip fumble of Jared Cook turned that game around. And, he proved to be the greatest bargain free agent in history when he signed his 6 year $60 million free agent deal in 2006. His work ethic sets an example for all to follow in the Saints organization, and has for 15 years. And, the Saints have arguably been in ‘cap hell’ for four years, and Loomis has consistently found the pieces to field a highly competitive team this is in the playoffs every year and wins playoff games. If all that is due to Brees’s “greed” , I’ll gladly sign up for that again

  5. Brees is money hungry?? Aren’t there at least 10 other quarterbacks who are making more than him, and have led their teams to far less success???

  6. Brees may announce his retirement but he won’t officially retire until after June 1st so that Saints can post June 1st cut him and save more money for this season.

  7. The Saints can’t afford to put him on the Retired List until June 1st, so it really makes no difference to them if he retires March 15th or May 15th, he’ll still be on the Saints roster June 1. Of course I’m assuming that he has told the Saints what he intends to do, so they can move forward accordingly.

  8. No team is going to offer much to Jameis Winston. Whether he stays in New Orleans or not is a non-factor.

  9. Better to just bite the bullet and deal or cut Winston. There is no future with him. Can’t go from a top 3 guy to someone with no commitment.

  10. I would think it’s in the Saints interest to keep what Brees will do to themselves. If they know, and potential entities they would deal with don’t, that can only be to their advantage.

  11. Like I said before, he is waiting for the NFL script to come out for this season. He obviously without a doubt purposely three the game vs tampa in the playoffs for Goodell and Vegas and nothing will convince me otherwise. As bad as he played it was obvious to anyone with a brain. Now he is waiting to see if Goodell will reward him this time around.

  12. Trade winston? So you honestly think Hill is a better full time QB? Yikes. The drop off from an old Brees to a middle aged Hill is huge. He cannot lead a whole season. Winston has. And threw for 5000 yards. The picks are a fixable situation. Hill is not a QB. Hill isn’t even a gimmick going forward.

  13. “He obviously without a doubt purposely threw the game vs tampa in the playoffs for Goodell and Vegas and nothing will convince me otherwise.”

    —-
    You have officially derailed.

    Holy cow.

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