After Bo Nix suffered an ankle injury that ended his season, the Denver Broncos nearly brought Drew Brees out of retirement for the AFC Championship. Former offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and offensive assistant Pete Carmichael contacted Brees, who previously worked with both in New Orleans, to see whether he was interested in coming back.
Two days before Nix went down, Brees was turning 47, and he reached out to the two assistants. He said he wanted to test his body’s reaction by working out first. Once that workout was done, though, Brees felt wrist discomfort. The plan came to an end right after that.
“He had some conversations” but kept things pretty vague.
The Brees Workout That Killed the Plan
Brees was not completely secretive about his interest in coming back. He said on the “New Heights” podcast during the offseason that he had some talks about a possible return, though he left the details deliberately vague.
There was no way back for him after the wrist problem set in, and one of the most decorated quarterbacks in NFL history called it quits permanently.
Sean Payton Never Knew About the Pursuit
Sean Payton, Brees’ longtime coach with the Saints, had no idea about the Broncos’ pursuit. Lombardi and Carmichael wanted to take Brees’ temperature before bringing him into the loop. Payton learned about the plot during the offseason.
Payton believed the talk was about a prior effort to get Brees back when first told. In December 2021, Jameis Winston had torn his ACL, and both Taysom Hill and Trevor Siemian sat on the reserve/COVID-19 list. So Ian Book ended up starting instead, after they reached out to Brees. But the meeting never went anywhere.
Philip Rivers Also Came Back
Not long ago, the Indianapolis Colts brought on board 44-year-old Philip Rivers, the very man who had filled in for Brees in San Diego. Rivers took over after Daniel Jones went down with an Achilles injury that ended his season.
This past summer saw Brees inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, following his official retirement in March of 2021. Even now, he still holds the franchise record for passing yards, touchdowns, and completions with the Saints.
What This Means for the Broncos
Denver attempted to draw Brees with a championship at stake, and the scheme fell apart due to a physical exam. The twist is that the effort collapsed on a wrist injury rather than a shoulder or a hip.
A championship on the line drives teams to chase players, and the story demonstrates that push. Lombardi and Carmichael crossed the league to reach out to a man who had just been enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Brees was willing to discuss the matter openly. The physical test proved too much for him, though, and he could not complete it.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Bo Nix’s injury | Final moments of the divisional round |
| Brees contacted by Lombardi and Carmichael | After Nix’s injury |
| Brees’ birthday | Two days before Nix’s injury |
| Wrist discomfort reported | After the workout |
| Brees retired | March 2021 |
| Brees Hall of Fame induction | This summer |
The wrist problem kept Brees from coming out of retirement to play in the AFC Championship. He chose not to return. The Broncos will keep going forward without him.
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