Tag: Drew Brees

Reports: Fox takes Mark Sanchez off air permanently

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Fox Sports has severed ties with game analyst Mark Sanchez as he faces criminal charges, multiple outlets reported Friday.

“We can confirm that Mark Sanchez is no longer with the network,” a Fox spokesperson told The Athletic. “There will be no further comment at this time.”

Stepping into an analyst role will be another former NFL quarterback, Drew Brees, per the report. He is expected to partner with play-by-play voice Adam Amin and is signed to call games through the 2026 season, at least.

Sanchez, 38, had been sidelined since he was stabbed, and subsequently arrested, following a fight in an Indianapolis alley with a 69-year-old truck driver. He was in town to call the Oct. 5 game between the Colts and Las Vegas Raiders but was hospitalized and replaced that week by Brady Quinn.

Brees, 46, retired from the NFL after the 2020 season and spent the 2021 season with NBC Sports, working as a color analyst for the network’s Notre Dame broadcasts and appearing on “Football Night in America.”

Brees has done studio work with Fox and ESPN and served as an analyst for Netflix’s international game last Christmas.

Brees led the New Orleans Saints to a Super Bowl XLIV championship in the 2009 season and was a two-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year. He ranks second behind Tom Brady in NFL history in passing yards (80,358) and touchdown passes (571).

Sanchez has been charged with felony battery as well as at least three misdemeanors. The felony charge carries a sentence of one to six years in prison, if convicted, and he has pleaded not guilty in Marion County, Ind.

–Field Level Media

Jun 10, 2025; Denver, CO, USA;Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) during minicamp at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Broncos QB Bo Nix visited Drew Brees during busy offseason

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Bo Nix has drawn comparison to Drew Brees early in his NFL career, so it came as little surprise that the Denver Broncos’ second-year quarterback spent some time this offseason with the Hall of Famer.

Brees won a Super Bowl while playing for Sean Payton for 15 seasons in New Orleans, and Payton saw a lot of similarities between the two when drafting Nix with the 12th overall pick in last year’s draft.

Nix led Denver to the playoffs as a rookie, throwing for 3,775 yards, 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while completing 66.3 percent of his passes. Like Brees, Nix doesn’t have elite arm strength but has been praised for his vision, footwork, grasp of the offense and leadership abilities.

During his first full NFL offseason, Nix spent time with Brees and noted throwing instructor Tom House while also hosting a few days of workouts with a group of skill position players.

“He’s someone who works his tail off, wants to improve and the whole offseason is planned out,” Payton said Wednesday. “He’s gone and visited Brees for four or five days and adds Tom House in here. There’s a lot that he wants to absorb in a fast period of time. That’s a great thing for a young player like that.

“Him just reaching out (to Brees) and just coordinating some time to dive into the offense, the schedule, the calendar, his schedule and his work week in season. All of that is just stuff he’s doing on his own.”

Payton said Nix visited with Brees in San Diego to learn more about the offensive scheme and talk about playing quarterback in the NFL. As for House, the well-known baseball instructor, Payton said the focus has been on mechanics and arm care work that may go unnoticed.

“There’s a lot of management of your arm and delivery. None of us will see exactly … there’s just certain warmup techniques if you will,” he said. “You’re not going to see a different release. The arm care for a pitcher might be different than the arm care of a quarterback. Then how you might warm up, there may be some parallels, but I don’t know that we’ll see it with our eyes.”

–Field Level Media

Jan 15, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; NFL former quarterback Drew Brees looks on before a wild card game between the Minnesota Vikings and the New York Giants at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

Drew Brees: ‘My right arm does not work’

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Retired and future first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees said he would still be playing in the NFL if not for his right arm that “does not work” anymore, forcing him to throw left-handed.

Brees, 44, made the comments in an interview with ESPN Radio on Tuesday.

“Look, I’ll let you in on a little fact. I don’t throw with my right arm anymore. My right arm does not work,” Brees told ESPN. “So, when I throw in the backyard right now, I throw left-handed.”

Brees was on the show promoting his pickleball paddles, events he does with retired tennis great John McEnroe.

“I can play pickleball because it’s below the waist but anything above my shoulder I have a hard time with,” Brees told ESPN.

Brees said his condition all began with the major shoulder injury he incurred in 2005 that almost derailed his career then, if not for the repair performed by Dr. James Andrews.

“If I could, I would absolutely still be playing.”

Brees retired in 2021 with 80,358 passing yards and 571 career touchdown passes, both second only to Tom Brady all time.

–Field Level Media

Nov 20, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees on the sidelines in the first quarter of the game between the New Orleans Saints and the Los Angeles Rams at the Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Drew Brees hired by Purdue as interim assistant coach

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Former NFL and Purdue quarterback Drew Brees will serve as an interim assistant coach for his alma mater’s Citrus Bowl game against LSU.

Brees will aid the Boilermakers (8-5) in preparation for the Jan. 2 game and also participate in recruiting activities, per Purdue’s news release on Thursday.

“Purdue University is fortunate to have alumni who are impactful leaders in industries and careers across a wide spectrum, including professional football,” said Purdue athletic director Mike Bobinski.

“For more than two decades, Drew Brees has shown the world what makes the Boilermakers special. He was an elite football player, but most of all, Drew is an extraordinary leader. Gaining his insights on the football field and in our coaching offices during this time of transition will be of great value to our student-athletes and staff.”

Purdue hired Illinois defensive coordinator Ryan Walters as its new head coach on Tuesday.

This is the first head coaching job for Walters, 36, who was named college football’s top assistant coach in 2022. He has been with the Illini for two seasons following a six-year tenure on the Missouri coaching staff, the last two as the Tigers’ defensive coordinator.

“I am extremely excited to work with our team over the next few weeks as we prepare for the Citrus Bowl,” Brees said in a statement. “I see it not only as an opportunity to coach and mentor this group of young men, but represent all the former Purdue players that care so much about our program.

“This is also preparation for the future of Purdue Football with new head coach Ryan Walters. I had a great conversation with Coach Walters last night, and love the energy, passion and detail he will bring to our program. The future is bright, and there is no better time to be a Boilermaker!”

Brees and Walters may have their work cut out for them. ESPN reported that Purdue quarterback Aidan O’Connell will announce Thursday that he is skipping the Citrus Bowl to prepare for the NFL draft.

The 6-foot-3 senior completed 64.1 percent of his passes for 3,490 yards with 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 12 games this season, leading the Boilermakers to the Big Ten West division title.

“When I first heard about Drew coming back to help coach our guys for the bowl game, I was hoping the rumors were true,” Walters said. “Our players have the opportunity to learn from one of the greatest leaders in football history, a valuable experience that they will never forget. Drew taking time out of his busy schedule to coach the bowl game is a perfect example of Purdue Football being one big family, and I cannot wait to see him on the sidelines in Orlando.”

Walters received a five-year contract and replaces Jeff Brohm, who left last week to become the head coach after six seasons and a 70-36 record in West Lafayette, Ind.

Brees, 43, retired following the 2020 season — his 20th in the NFL. He threw for 80,358 yards and 571 touchdowns — second only to Tom Brady in both categories — for the San Diego Chargers and New Orleans Saints. A 13-time Pro Bowl selection, he led the Saints to a win in Super Bowl XLIV.

Brees played quarterback at Purdue from 1997 to 2000, winning the Maxwell Award.

–Field Level Media

Nov 25, 2021; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is honored at halftime of the game between the New Orleans Saints and the Buffalo Bills at the Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Drew Brees denies being struck by lightning

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PointsBet USA said Friday it was monitoring reports that retired NFL great Drew Brees was struck by lightning in South American while filming a commercial for the sportsbook.

“We are aware of the media coverage regarding PointsBet brand ambassador Drew Brees,” PointsBet USA posted to its official Twitter account. “We are in communication with Brees’ team and will continue to monitor events throughout the coming hours. At this stage we will not be making any further comment.”

ESPN’s Saints team reported said Friday she exchanged text messages with Brees and there was no truth to the report.

“He said he’s good and that he did not get struck by lightning,” she wrote, as rumors began to spread on social media that the story was concocted to advertise PointsBet’s “lightning bets” feature.

Grainy video was posted to Twitter overnight that was shot in the dark, reportedly in Venezuela. It showed a film crew, with Brees on a television monitor, scurrying about in the brief video, with thunder heard in the background and lightning in the area. After a loud clap of thunder, the video went dark.

Brees tweeted on Tuesday that he was heading to “a top-secret location later this week” to shoot a new promotional video for PointsBet USA. He signed with the sportsbook in July 2021.

Brees, 43, retired following the 2020 season — his 20th in the NFL. He threw for 80,358 yards and 571 touchdowns — second only to Tom Brady in both categories — for the San Diego Chargers and New Orleans Saints. A 13-time Pro Bowl selection, he led the Saints to a win in Super Bowl XLIV.

–Field Level Media

Nov 25, 2021; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is honored at halftime of the game between the New Orleans Saints and the Buffalo Bills at the Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Drew Brees won’t pursue broadcast gig to spend time with family

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Drew Brees said he’s staying on the broadcast sidelines this NFL season for four reasons: his kids.

The former New Orleans Saints quarterback and future Pro Football Hall of Fame member spent the 2021 season with NBC, but it was announced earlier this offseason that he wouldn’t return for a second season. And despite speculation he’d wind up with another network, he told The Spun that he’s not taking another job now.

“The reason I didn’t do it this year, from a broadcasting perspective, is my family,” Brees said. “You have to be gone for the weekends, and that’s what I basically did as a player. These are such valuable moments for my kids. I want to be as active and involved in their weekend activities. That doesn’t quite mesh right now with a broadcasting career.”

Brees and his wife, Brittany, have three sons and a daughter.

He told the outlet, however, that he is open to a future career in broadcasting or pursuing a different second act.

“I’ve got so many opportunities and things I’m considering right now. Staying involved with the game of football is one of my priorities, whether it’d be broadcasting or some other capacity,” said Brees, 43.

Brees retired after the 2020 season following 20 NFL campaigns and one Super Bowl championship. He threw for 80,358 career yards and 571 touchdowns — second only to Tom Brady in both categories.

–Field Level Media

Nov 25, 2021; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is honored at halftime of the game between the New Orleans Saints and the Buffalo Bills at the Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Saints: No talks with Drew Brees about possible return

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New Orleans Saints coach Dennis Allen said Monday that the team has not had any discussions with retired quarterback Drew Brees about a comeback.

Brees ignited speculation Sunday night with a tweet suggesting he “may play football again,” among other ventures. The tweet came in the aftermath of a New York Post report that Brees is out at NBC Sports as an analyst after just one year.

“I think it was a comment made in jest, and we certainly haven’t had any conversations in that regard,” Allen said Monday at the Saints’ Hall of Fame golf tournament.

Brees, 43, retired from football in March 2021 and subsequently became a studio and game analyst for NBC. Brees’ exit from NBC was a mutual decision, according to the Post.

Jameis Winston, recovering from an ACL injury, is expected to be the Saints’ starting quarterback in 2022 with veteran Andy Dalton backing up.

–Field Level Media

Oct 3, 2021; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) throws the ball against the New England Patriots during the first half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

Tom Brady becomes NFL’s all-time passing leader

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Tom Brady became the NFL’s all-time leader in passing yards during his return to New England to play the Patriots on Sunday night.

Brady completed a 28-yard pass to Tampa Bay Buccaneers teammate Mike Evans with just over six minutes left in the first quarter to pass Drew Brees (80,358) by one yard.

Brady entered the contest with 80,291 yards, needing 68 to pass Brees. He is in his second season with the Buccaneers after spending 20 years with New England.

Brees was in Foxborough as part of his pregame and halftime analyst duties for NBC, which is broadcasting the game.

Brees played 20 seasons with the San Diego Chargers (2001-05) and New Orleans Saints (2006-2020). He won a Super Bowl with the Saints in the 2009 season and made 12 of his 13 Pro Bowl appearances with New Orleans.

–Field Level Media

Aug 17, 2018; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) poses with his wife Brittany Brees and sons Callen Brees and Bowen Brees and Baylen Brees and daughter Rylen Brees prior to a preseason game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Drew Brees’ wife reveals more injuries overcome by Saints QB

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Whether or not Drew Brees retires after two decades in the NFL or returns for at least one more season, his wife shed more light on what a physical challenge the 2020 season was for the veteran quarterback.

In a social media post on her private Instagram page, Brittany Brees paid tribute Wednesday morning to her husband’s challenging season — calling it “the hardest year of our lives” — by also revealing that the New Orleans Saints star battled through foot and shoulder injuries during the season, according to a NOLA.com report.

The injuries referenced by Brees’ wife were unknown publicly on top of the 11 fractured ribs and punctured lung that caused the 13-time Pro Bowl selection to miss four games in November and early December.

“The fact that you played this entire year with a torn rotator cuff, torn fascia in your foot, … then later 11 broken ribs and a collapsed lung,” Brittany Brees said in her post, per the report, “makes me think I should not have taken the epidural while giving birth to our kids.”

She termed the season “the hardest year of our lives, yet in some ways one of the best” in praising her husband’s determination in forging on in an effort to win his second Super Bowl, an effort that fell short.

The Saints’ 20-year veteran, who turned 42 last week, may have played his last NFL game in last Sunday’s 30-20 NFC Divisional Round loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, helmed by 43-year-old quarterback Tom Brady. Brees struggled in the hard-fought defeat, throwing for a playoff career-high three interceptions and just 134 passing yards.

After the game, Brees was seen giving a quick look back at the field at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome before heading into the tunnel, and into possible retirement. Fox Sports reported on its pregame show that this indeed would be Brees’ final campaign.

“I’ll answer this question one time, and that is I’m going to give myself an opportunity to think about the season, think about a lot of things, just like I did last year, and make the decision,” Brees said after the loss.

Brees missed four games while recovering from the ribs and lung injuries suffered Nov. 15 against the San Francisco 49ers. The Saints went 3-1 behind backup Taysom Hill.

–Field Level Media