Drew Brees has a Super Bowl championship, 13 Pro Bowl selections and one of the most productive passing careers in NFL history, but he says there was one accomplishment he never realistically pictured while he was playing, becoming a Pro Football Hall of Famer.
Less than two weeks after his Aug. 8 enshrinement in Canton, the former New Orleans Saints quarterback admitted that the honor still feels difficult to process. “I don’t think Hall of Fame is anywhere on your radar,” Brees told TMZ Sports.
He compared the idea to somebody telling him he was going to Saturn or Mars, explaining that the Hall always seemed to exist in a “whole other stratosphere.” Even during a career that eventually produced 80,358 passing yards and 571 touchdown passes, Brees said becoming a Hall of Famer seemed almost impossible to fathom.
In July, Brees told PEOPLE that becoming a Hall of Famer was an “incredible honor” he never imagined when he entered the NFL as a second-round pick in 2001.
Brees Says the Hall of Fame Suddenly Became a Race to August
The honor became much more tangible in January, when former Chargers quarterback and Hall of Famer Dan Fouts delivered the traditional knock informing Brees that he had been elected in his first year of eligibility.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame confirmed Brees as part of a five-man Class of 2026 alongside Larry Fitzgerald, Luke Kuechly, Adam Vinatieri and Roger Craig. From there, Brees said everything accelerated toward Canton. “It’s like a race to August,” he told TMZ. “You know, you’re going to get enshrined and it’s basically like planning a wedding.”
Brees said his wife, Brittany, took charge of much of the planning so relatives, friends and other people who had been part of his career could share the weekend with them. He described the months between learning he had been elected and actually receiving his gold jacket as “quite the whirlwind.”
The process also created a bond among the five members of the class. Brees said they had become “super tight” over the preceding eight months and compared the relationship to becoming brothers through the shared experience.
Sean Payton Presented Brees Before an Emotional New Orleans Tribute
Brees chose longtime Saints head coach Sean Payton to serve as his presenter. Their partnership helped transform New Orleans into a perennial contender after both arrived in 2006, culminating in the franchise’s Super Bowl XLIV championship following the 2009 season.
During his enshrinement speech, Brees thanked the coaches, teammates and family members who shaped his 20-year NFL career, but New Orleans received some of his most personal remarks. The Saints reported that his speech lasted approximately 26 minutes and repeatedly returned to the relationship he built with the city.
“If you love New Orleans, it’ll love you back,” Brees said. “There is no truer statement.” He also spoke directly about his partnership with Payton, describing himself as an extension of his coach on the field and saying he always wanted to prove Payton right.
Brees’ induction made him the first first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer in Saints franchise history. He spent his first five NFL seasons with the San Diego Chargers before joining New Orleans in 2006 and playing the final 15 seasons of his career there.
New Orleans Has One More Major Honor Waiting for Him
The Saints announced that he will be inducted into the franchise’s Ring of Honor during halftime of their Oct. 11 game against the Minnesota Vikings at the Caesars Superdome. Brees will also receive his Pro Football Hall of Fame Ring of Excellence during the on-field ceremony.
He will become the ninth person from the Saints organization added to the Ring of Honor, joining Tom Benson, Morten Andersen, Jahri Evans, Rickey Jackson, Archie Manning, Sam Mills, William Roaf and Will Smith.