After playing in the NFL for 20 seasons, New Orleans Saints quarterback has decided to hang up the cleats.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees has just announced his retirement from the NFL after 20 years in the game. Brees announced his retirement via Instagram in a video on March 14, with his four kids saying now that he’s retired he can spend more time with them.
“Drew Brees in Times Square” by The Rachel Maddow Show is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Weeks before his official retirement announcement there had been signals that he was going to retire. According to ESPN, Brees agreed to reduce his salary for 2021 from $25 million to the veteran’s minimum of $1.075 million. By Brees choosing to reduce his salary to the veterans minimum, it frees up nearly $24 million in salary-cap for the Saints.
Brees was drafted in the 2001 NFL draft as a second-round pick to the San Diego Chargers, now known as the Los Angeles Chargers. Where drafted to the Chargers, he played on the team from 2001 until 2005 when he became a free agent. In 2006, Brees signed a six-year $60 million deal with the New Orleans Saints which included an $8 million signing bonus and $20 million guaranteed.
During the 20-year tenure of the quarterback’s career, he achieved many accolades. He attended the Pro Bowl 13 times, he has won the AP Offensive Player of the year twice, and in 2006 he won the Walter Payton Man of the year honor.
On the football field, Brees is currently the record holder in the NFL for the highest amount of passing yards which is 80,358 yards in the NFL. Brees also career completion percentage is the highest among quarterbacks at 67.7 percent who has played more than four seasons. In the 2009-10 season, Brees led the Saints to victory in Super Bowl XLIV, the first and only world championship for the franchise.
“Drew Brees announces the Saints Draft Pick at the NFL 2010 Draft” by Marianne O’Leary is licensed under CC BY 2.0
“I am from Baltimore and I have been a long-time Ravens fan but Drew Brees is someone I would put on the Mount Rushmore of quarterbacks. He only has one Super Bowl under his belt but his numbers do all the talking,” Campbell Carr, sophomore business management major, said.
On his time off the field, Brees founded the “Brees Dream Foundation” in 2003. According to the foundation’s mission statement, their goal is” Improving the quality of life for cancer patients and providing care, education, and opportunities for children and families in need.” Brees who became a player for the Saints after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, became involved with the recovery by announcing a partnership with Operation kids in an attempt to help rebuild childcare projects in the city. Even during COVID-19, he donated $10 million to communities in Louisiana impacted by the virus according to Reuters.
